A Broken Jigsaw
by YayimaHufflepuff
Summary: A Story about a broken witch, a changed man and finding love where you'd least expect it. RATED M FOR MATURE SECTIONS (smut) IN LATER CHAPTERS! Please read and review. Constructive criticism is appreciated :)
1. No!

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_ Further to enquiry we ask you to come to the Ministry of Magic at 2:00pm today. Unless we receive an owl stating otherwise Mr Deluah will be waiting for you at the main reception._

_Kind Regards _

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Minister for Magic_

"GINNY!" Hermione bellowed. She was practically bouncing in place and when Ginny didn't appear she raced off up the rickety stairs of The Burrow to find Ginny in the arms of her fiancé and her best friend in the world Harry James Potter. "God guys get a room," Hermione snickered and Harry pulled away and fixed those emerald eyes of his on Hermione in a death glare. A few months ago Hermione, Harry and Ginny graduated from Hogwarts, Harry and Hermione having gone back to repeat their seventh year, and since going back to Hogwarts the three had developed a friendship stronger than anything, despite Ron's absence after betraying the trust of Harry and Hermione.

"Hermione you had better have a good reason for this," Ginny sighed, bringing Hermione back to the present. Ginny only ever used Hermione's full name when she was annoyed with her.

"Gin! They found my parents. I have to go at 2pm to see some guy called Mr Deluah, but they found them!" Hermione gushed as she brushed her wild curly brown hair away from her eyes.

"They did?!" Ginny squealed, forgetting all about her fiancé as she jumped up from his lap.

"About bloody time, it's taken them what a full year?" Harry smiled. Hermione hugged first Ginny and then Harry with a crushing force and her brown eyes were alive with happiness and her complete and utter joy.

"Um Mi it's like 3 minutes to 2 already," Harry then smiled gently. Hermione let go of Harry with a gasp and checked her watch, realising that he was indeed correct and she apparated on the spot.

After using the visitors entrance Hermione ran to reception.

"I'm here to see Mr Deluah," She panted.

"Right here Miss Granger. I'm glad you could come," the smooth voice of Roger Deluah spoke up. Hermione twisted quickly, her eyes alight with tremendous joy and she met a man taller that a certain Weasley she knew and with Hazel eyes the colour of dark sand, while his hair was as white as snow.

Mr Deluah opened the door to his office and offered Hermione a chair inside before he sat behind his own desk and shuffled a few papers with a grave expression in his eyes. Only then did Hermione contemplate the fact that she may receive bad news. Maybe the memory charm could not be undone, maybe they had moved from Australia, maybe they…

"There's no easy way to say this. Monica and Wendell Wilkins died on their way to Australia as the plane they were in lost power and crash landed," Mr Deluah said quietly. He tried to soften the blow with his calm voice but Hermione hissed in disbelief as her wide brown eyes froze.

"What do you mean?" Hermione breathed as a tanned shaking hand rose up towards her mouth. Mr Deluah could think of nothing to say and he just sat there his eyes tracing the faint patterns on his old pale hands, trying not to hear or see the girl going to pieces in front of him.

Mr Deluah's words were echoing in Hermione's head and she was entirely numb, even her usually quick mind was frozen until the words she wished she'd never heard screamed across her thoughts and her heart broke into a zillion tiny pieces leaving dust in its wake.

At some point as she was breaking Mr Deluah looked up at Hermione with a half scared look in those grave, old eyes of his and she noticed a high keening noise in the room before recognising it as the sound of her falling apart.

"They can't be," Hermione gasped around her tears. "Please tell me they're not. PLEASE!" Hermione screamed. Mr Deluah looked at Hermione sympathetically and she broke down into shaking sobs, pressing her hands to her mouth to quieten the noise she was making.

"Miss Granger I am sincerely sorry, but I must give you these," Mr Deluah pushed 2 envelopes towards her and when Hermione just looked at them making no move to open them he opened them himself.

"Last will and testament of Mr Richard Granger and Mrs Jean Granger," Mr Deluah said as he placed the wills side by side on the table facing Hermione. They had left her everything.

Hermione couldn't remember getting home to the Burrow, but at some point in the evening Mrs Weasley walked in and tried to offer Hermione dinner, an offer she refused. Mrs Weasley then did the only thing she could think to do and sat down on the wooden floor next to a broken Hermione and took the girl into her arms, ignoring the dead look in her suddenly dull brown eyes, ignoring the tears making their steady way down her face non-stop, ignoring the fact that the girl was cold and lifeless. Mrs Weasley stayed there, crying with Hermione at the poor girl's loss till she fell asleep in her motherly arms. This was too much. Just last year the wizarding world was dealing with a heart break that was earth shattering and everyone had pulled out of the loss and depression, scarred yes, but healthy. For this to happen to Hermione now, it was unbearably cruel.

Hermione woke up in the dark eventually and noticed she was all alone, she felt empty, she was drained, but the tears had stopped flowing replaced by a violent shaking of her hands and body unless she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. On impulse Hermione slipped out of her bed and collected her things, shrinking them and placing them inside her extendable handbag with a weightlessness charm on it. Slowly and trying to make no noise Hermione crept down the narrow corridor trying not to disturb Harry and Ginny who she knew were sleeping in Ginny's bedroom, Harry was an exceptionally light sleeper since the war, the slightest sounds would wake him up. So when she reached the stairs her heart was in her throat as she tried to ghost down the stairs making only the dreaded creaking noise of the bottom step. Hermione froze on the ground floor and as she froze she heard someone's feet touch the floor above her head and she cursed and turned running through the darkened house to the kitchen as she heard Harry's fast steps down the stairs, she reached and flung open the kitchen door and ran in the direction of the nearest point she could apparate from.

"Hermione stop!" Harry yelled. Hermione turned around a few metres from the boundaries. Harry was running towards her barefoot in his pyjamas and she started crying as she took in her best friend.

"Harry please let me go, _please_," Hermione begged, Harry caught up to her and grabbed her hands.

"Don't go Hermione, work through it here with us please, don't run away," Harry begged.

"Harry please let me go, please, please, please. I can't stay anymore," Hermione cried. The tears were tracking their way down her face and she was fighting Harry's arms as he pulled her to his chest.

"No," Harry hissed in her ear. Then he turned around and saw Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley and George standing in the doorway watching the spectacle. Hermione was struggling in his arms, crying out loud, not hiding the extent of the pain in her small body.

"HARRY LET ME GO **_PLEASE_**!" Hermione's scream rent the air as she struggled and fought Harry's strong arms. With a sudden twisting movement she was free and she was backing away from Harry on the floor, pushing herself backwards while training her eyes on him. Her curly brown hair was wild and bushy and in her face, but the wildness of her hair was nothing to the wildness of her eyes.

"Hermione, please stop, don't run away, please, be strong," Harry was whispering as he walked closer to Hermione. Hermione was backing away from him still dragging herself through the dirt. Hermione suddenly stood up and whipped around and found herself facing the entire Weasley clan.

"Let me go, Harry please, just let me go," Hermione was shaking now and she bolted quickly trying to run around Harry but as he tried to catch her again she suddenly pulled her wand.

"Hermione don't, please listen to me, I know it hurts, I know, I know, I know, but running away won't solve a single thing. I promise I will help you through this, we all will, you're our sister, we won't abandon you," Harry begged, but Hermione was still walking backwards, a wild unrecognisable look in her eyes as she pointed her wand at Harry.

"Let me go," Hermione hissed. Then she took another step back and she felt a shudder of freedom over her body and she apparated.

Harry stared at the spot where Hermione had just disappeared and Ginny ran over to him, she was crying and Harry bent his head and kissed her tears away.

"It's okay Gin, it's okay," Harry hushed her.

"That's not our Hermione Harry, what are we going to do?" Ginny whispered into her fiancé's neck.

"What we will do, is give her some space, write to her, find her and help her through this one way or another if it is the last thing that we do," Harry murmured into Ginny's auburn hair. Ginny nodded and sniffed before she unwrapped her arms from around her fiancé and took his hand.

"Let's go back to bed, we can think about what to do next at a reasonable hour of the day hmm?" Ginny offered. Harry was grateful for the woman in his arms. She was his powerhouse, his support, the love of his life and his strong sound anchor to life itself, he loved her with everything he had and he tilted her head back gently. When her brown eyes locked on his emerald ones he lowered his mouth and captured her soft red lips with the briefest of kisses before nodding and leading her back inside.

Meanwhile Hermione had managed to apparate to The Three Broomsticks Inn without getting herself splinched. During the past year at Hogwarts, Hermione, Harry and Ginny had surprisingly become quite close to Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini, close enough for them to become people who could help when others couldn't, and as of recently Pansy and Blaise had married and bought the Three Broomsticks Inn trying to carve a new life for themselves after finally being recognised as victims of Voldemort and not followers. Hermione had apparated here in need of somewhere to rest for the night and she knew Blaise and Pansy would give her a room and not ask any questions if she disappeared the following night.

Banging on the door Hermione eventually heard Blaise's loud voice curse whoever was knocking on their private door by the side of the Three Broomsticks, but when he threw the door wide his dark eyes widened in shock and his dark skin paled as he took in Hermione's damaged appearance.

"Hermione?" Blaise questioned.

"Blaise, I need… I need somewhere to stay," Hermione whispered. Blaise could not remove his eyes from the frightened, wild and frankly damn scary sight of the woman in front of him. Hermione's face was blotchy and red and tracked with tears, there was dirt smeared across her cheeks, no doubt put there by her shaking hands that were covered in light dirt dust. What Blaise found scariest, was not the wild mane of hair that appeared to be just a huge thick mop of knots, but the cold, wild, dead look inside Hermione's brown eyes. They were void of any feeling other than the feelings he'd experienced in his third year in the presence of the Dementors of Azkaban. She looked like she'd never be happy again. Blaise pulled himself together quickly and pulled the door wider to let Hermione through.

Hermione walked through the door and looked around. Blaise led her up the stairs and as they neared the Master bedroom the door opened and Pansy poked her head out and gasped.

"Hermione are you okay?" Hermione didn't reply and Blaise just gave his wife a look that said I will tell you later. Hermione was too busy looking at the floor to notice Blaise's look, but when Blaise stopped walking and opened a door she looked up, tears were once again tracking down her face but she couldn't find the heart to wipe her face.

Blaise stared into the tear ruined face in front of him and he gently wiped her tears away.

"I won't ask and I won't tell. Stay as long as you need to Hermione, and this one is on us. After everything you did for me and Pans, we owe you more than just some nights stay free of charge, but for now I can see this is what you need so here you go," Blaise murmured in that deep smooth voice of his. He handed Hermione a key and then he turned around and walked back down the corridor to his own bedroom. When Hermione finally looked up from the brass key in her hand Blaise had long since gone inside his room and Hermione could feel the soft stroke of sleep caressing her troubled mind. So taking the necessary steps she opened the door, closed it, threw her cloak on the floor and fell into the bed fully clothed, regardless of what she was dressed in.


	2. Shut Down

Hermione woke up the next morning and blinked, her usually quick mind was still and she felt absolutely void of any emotion. She could see that her bushy hair was in her eyes and in a wild knot but she didn't find it in her to care to move it off her face and she lay there with her eyes open staring at the blank vanilla and lilac wall. There were footsteps outside Hermione's room and then she heard keys before the door opened. Hermione's eyes flickered towards the door and then back to the spot on the wall she had been staring at.

"You're finally awake then?" Blaise said softly. Hermione didn't respond. She couldn't hear him even though she wasn't deaf. "Mi?" Blaise called again softly. Hermione didn't move from her position, she just looked back towards the door and saw Blaise's dark caramel coloured face poking around the door but her eyes seemed frozen in place as Blaise walked into the room.

"Honey is she awake?" Pansy asked quietly as she poked her own head around the door and came into Hermione's line of sight.

"She's awake, I think, but she's… She's lifeless," Blaise whispered. Hermione didn't even respond to his words, she just continued staring at the dark brown door, blinking every now and again.

"What do you mean by lifeless?" Pansy asked quietly as she walked further into the room and sat on the bed next to Hermione. Blaise was leaning against the wall casually but his expression told the world he was feeling anything but casual.

"Look in her eyes," Blaise murmured.

Hermione felt Pansy's soft hand move her knotted hair out of the way of her eyes and then she lowered herself onto the ground so she could see eye to eye with Hermione. What Pansy saw there scared her. Hermione's usual lively brown eyes were cold, dark, clearly pained, but worse than the pain in her eyes was this look of unawareness. Hermione was never unaware; she was quick as a whip when it came to deciphering clues and their meanings and she was never without that spark of intuition in her eyes, but now it was like Hermione wasn't even there. Blaise rested his hand on Pansy's shoulder comfortingly as he moved behind her and it was only then that she noticed she was crying.

"I know I felt like that too. It's scary, and everything you can't see there it gets straight to you," Blaise muttered. Then he helped up his wife and led her out of the room.

Throughout the day, Blaise had his old personal house elf from Zabini Manor deliver food to Hermione at breakfast lunch and dinner, but each time the elf would return with untouched, stone cold portions of what Blaise had sent up. Hermione was a bright girl so why was she starving herself! The thought of Hermione not even present in her body was frustrating him so after closing up for the night Blaise sat in his office and took out a quill and some parchment.

_Harry_

_ How are you mate, where have you been hiding, cause you're doing a bloody brilliant job of it man, almost as good as me when that short muggle woman was after me. We seriously need to catch up soon, the three of us me, you and Nev, just like we did at the end of Hogwarts. Although I don't think I'll be getting as wasted as I did that night, Pansy was absolutely furious with me but graduating Hogwarts was reason enough to celebrate. _

_Now the serious part of my letter. Hermione came by the inn last night looking like she'd been running from Dementors, no happiness in her eyes, mud on her, tears everywhere. What the fuck happened to Hermione mate? She didn't stay long by the way she just simply stayed the night and ran off afterwards._

_Blaise_

_Ps. Pansy says hi, and she told me she thinks she might be pregnant this morning, I'm absolutely shitting myself mate._

Blaise sighed and then called down Rocky his stone coloured owl from his perch. Rocky floated down and gave him an affectionate nip on his finger as he held out an owl treat for him. Then he folded the letter, placed it in an envelope, addressed it then fastened it to Rocky's letter harness.

"Take that to Harry wherever his is, although he's more than likely at the Burrow," Blaise said. Rocky clicked his beak in acknowledgement and then took off. It was time to check on Hermione again.

When Blaise made his way up to Hermione's room he saw Pansy leaving.

"How is she?" Blaise asked.

"No better. I covered her back over, closed the curtains and left her to fall asleep. Are you coming to bed?" Pansy replied as she pushed her black hair off the face that puberty had been kind to. Pansy no longer looked like a pug; puberty had sorted her facial features, giving her pouty lips with a perfect cupid's bow, high cheekbones, and a straighter less pug-like nose that accented her wide dark green eyes that were framed by thick black lashed. Pansy Zabini was a beauty.

"Yeah… Er Pans, did you check?" Blaise rumbled, his fear of the unknown definitely creeping into his voice.

"Check what?" Pansy asked sweetly, knowing that Blaise was feeling uncomfortable.

"Did you check if you were pregnant?" Blaise asked quickly, knowing his wife would only become more persistent the longer he beat around the bush. Pansy smiled at her bashful husband and she nodded. She had taken the opportunity to get a pregnancy potion from the new potions shop down the road, it had indeed told her she was pregnant, but she still wanted to check at St. Mungo's

"I checked honey. I took a potion on my break. I am pregnant but I do want to have a second check at St. Mungo's in the morning. But for now, you my dearest, are going to be a father," Pansy grinned. Blaise's expression went first to shock, then to fear and finally, finally, a sheepish, very nervous smile and that was all Pansy needed to take the hand of the man she loved, lead him to their bed and make the most of the fact that she still had a flat stomach.

Hermione's eyes opened the following morning, and as they opened her mind jolted like a muggle being resuscitated using a defibrillator. Her quick mind stuttered and jumped before beginning to run quickly. Slowly Hermione sat up and she pushed her knotted mane of hair off her face and stretched her slightly stiff limbs as she looked around with her dull, half dead brown eyes.

As she looked around her eyes took in the vanilla and lilac coloured walls, the lilac curtains, the dark brown wooden door and dresser, she realised with a jolt that she was in one of the private rooms in the Three Broomsticks. With the shock of recognition she was subjected to an onslaught of memories, from learning that her parents were dead up to the very moment when she had woken up. Alongside her memories Hermione felt this crippling feeling in her stomach due to not having eaten all day yesterday and most of the day before hand.

Just as the pain in her stomach became strong enough to knock her back onto her bed the door opened and Pansy and Blaise walked in cautiously.

"Morning," Hermione croaked. Blaise and Pansy stopped dead in their tracks and then both of them rushed over to her and enveloped her in a hug. Hermione couldn't bring herself to smile truthfully but she plastered a smile on her face and hugged them back. As soon as they let go the smile and her arms dropped.

"We were so worried, what happened to you yesterday?" Pansy asked. Hermione looked at Pansy blankly.

"What do you mean what happened to me yesterday?" Hermione asked. Blaise touched Pansy's hand in a light warning touch.

"Yesterday you didn't move, you didn't speak and you didn't eat one single thing," Blaise said softly.

"Evidently as my stomach feels like it's trying to eat itself," Hermione muttered without feeling. Pansy and Blaise just looked at each other before Blaise called Ridly who appeared and looked up at his master expectantly.

"Can you bring Miss Granger…" Blaise was interrupted by a loud wail from Hermione who suddenly burst into tears. Pansy gasped and rushed over to her friend and held her tightly.

"Master you called," Ridly reminded Blaise. Blaise looked back towards his house elf and then recalled what he was doing.

"Ridly can you bring Miss Hermione some breakfast and a strong coffee made with some calming draught please?" Blaise asked kindly. Hermione was still wailing into Pansy's arms and Blaise stood there feeling useless.

"What do you want me to do?" Blaise asked Pansy.

"Nothing at the minute, I'll help her and then I'll come and find you," Pansy whispered over the top of her friends head.

Blaise hurried from the room and stood with his back against the wall breathing heavily and trying to fight the surge of despair that rose up his throat like lava. Being in the same room as Hermione was, as bad as it sounds, like having a Dementor right there sucking your soul and sucking away your happiness. Just then Rocky fluttered in through the open window at the end of the corridor.

"Hello Rocky, you have Harry's letter for me?" Blaise smiled. Rocky just landed on his shoulder and clicked his beak as he held out the leg with the letter harness attached. Blaise removed his letter and after holding out his arm for his owl to hop down on, he stroked him, and watched him take back off. The letter in Blaise's hands was calling him like a siren and he quickly opened it.

_Blaise_

_ CONGRATULATIONS! Seriously mate best news I've heard in a while. I'll bet you're shitting yourself alright, does she know for definite yet. If I know Pansy she would have been and found out as soon as she could of right after telling you her suspicions. But mate congrats. _

_Nothing will ever stop the memory of that muggle chasing you from making me laugh, that day was a day to remember. As for where I've been hiding, I've been at the Burrow mate with Ginny. Mrs Weasley is insisting that I stay so I can help with wedding planning but seriously mate I've had it up to about here with wedding plans. I don't care whether the decorations are green, blue, pink or freaking rainbow coloured, I just want my wife at the end of it all. Ginny can see my frustration at it all so she's trying to be helpful and to be honest her "helpfulness" is not something I would complain about any time soon. _

_We need to get us all together for my stag night, I'm talking everyone, me (obviously), you, Neville, Theo, Dean and Seamus, but I am not getting rip-roaring drunk again. Ginny was about ready to hex me into oblivion._

_As for Hermione, she found out two days ago on Friday that her parents had died in a muggle plane crash. They didn't even make it to Australia. Hermione was finally healing from the war and Ron's betrayal for good yano. I think she put off her own healing process when everyone else was mourning to be there for them. Her parents' death took her back to stage one and then took her past that. She went wild when she left, I tried to stop her and she pulled her wand on me. And you were always a bad liar mate, I know Hermione's still at the inn but don't worry I won't come and chase her down, or let any of the Weasley's, including Gin, come and chase her either. When she's ready to come and find us we'll be waiting with open arms. Just be mindful not to mention anything to do with her parents. So their last name is a big no no, as is the mention of Australia or teeth health, her parents were dentists (muggle version of healers for teeth). I can't think of anything else to say mate, just be there for her._

_Harry._

_Ps. Ginny says Hi and she says congrats for the pregnancy, she's writing a letter to Pansy and it's behind this one. _

Blaise read Harry's letter and found himself chuckling under his breath for the first part but then he couldn't help but stare in horror at the second half. Hermione Granger, 1/3rd of the golden trio, the girl who had been to the end of the earth and back alongside Harry Potter, was one of the prime candidates for a huge dosage of good fortune, but it appears fate had other plans. How much must fate torture the girl who had been fighting since she was 11, was her happiness too much to ask for. Blaise rested his head back against the wall as he heard Hermione's wails subside into a quieter sob and as he walked back in he saw Pansy rocking her friend with tears streaming down her face. Blaise wordlessly suggested she take a few minutes as he handed Pansy both letters and then he picked up where Pansy had left off and comforted the woman in total despair with his tight embrace.

Hermione was shaking, she was cold, she was hungry and she was all alone. She no longer had any family to love and cherish her and make her feel like she was all that mattered when she was upset. They were dead. Her mother and father were dead and she was never ever going to see them again. Her life was a trick that went beyond cruel. What on earth did she do to deserve problem after problem.

Clinging to Blaise now as opposed to Pansy, Hermione eventually felt her tears still and her shaking recede to only her hands and as if he sensed that it was safe to enter, Ridly re-appeared with Hermione's breakfast on a tray.

"Ridly has breakfast Miss Hermione," Ridly squeaked and Hermione sat up straighter and accepted the tray which held a plate of eggs, bacon, beans and toast and a steaming cup of coffee. Hermione reached for the coffee first and when the smooth drink hit her lips she felt herself relax, she was still downright miserable and felt like she'd never be happy again but even so she felt calm and the shakes in her hands had subsided allowing Hermione to finish her breakfast in relative calm.

When she was finished eating Pansy reappeared with a smile on her face and then she sat next to her husband on the bed before handing him back two letters which Blaise tucked into the pocket of his robes.

"How are you feeling Mi?" Pansy asked quietly.

"Calmer. I need something to do though," Hermione whispered croakily.

"Why not help me waitress downstairs?" Pansy asked. Hermione looked up at Pansy alarm clear in her expression even though her eyes were still empty.

"I don't want to be recognised," Hermione whispered as she looked down at her hands that were wrapped around her coffee. Blaise and Pansy looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Do you trust us?" Blaise asked. Hermione simply nodded not trusting herself to speak.

"Your family or mine?" Pansy asked.

"Better be my family, my family is not as well known," Blaise said. Hermione looked between them quietly.

"Hermione, take a shower, get dressed, comb your hair then come and find us in the office," Pansy smiled as she waved her wand. Hermione nodded her consent and waited until Pansy and Blaise left the room before exploring the bathroom and discovering Pansy had stocked it.

After a hot shower, Hermione went about the motions of getting dressed and found herself wearing simple non-descript black robes, black tee-shirt, black jeans and black flat pumps. Her hair on the other hand was not so easy to sort as her clothes. Due to the way she had mistreated her hair, it was now a force to be reckoned with and after a few frustrated tried with her brush, Hermione grabbed her wand and forced her hair into submission with a vanity spell.

Moving as if injured, Hermione stepped out of her room and pocketed the key, before making her way down to the office where she found Blaise sat quietly staring at his owl while deep in thought.

_Knock Knock_

Blaise looked towards to door and saw Hermione standing there with a blank expression.

"Right, you said you don't wish to be recognised, so me and Pans have decided that we're going to glamour charm you to make you look like a member of my family," Blaise smiled. "So we're changing your hair and your eyes." Hermione nodded slowly and when Blaise asked if she was ready she nodded her head and didn't say much else. Blaise pointed his wand at Hermione and wordlessly gave her soft, thick sheets of black hair that fell straight down her back to hang near her waist and light hazel almost gold coloured eyes.

"What's my story?" Hermione asked as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that hung in Blaise's office.

"Well I know you can speak fluent French, so your story is that you went to beauxbatons, your name is Cody Loreté, and you're my cousin on my grandfather's brother's side. You can keep the cover for as long as you like. It's common knowledge that my grandfather had a brother and ran off to France to escape the pureblood name and upbringing, his family over there is unknown to us. We could say that you came back to start your life over in England, but we need to keep it under wraps. I mean a long lost Zabini family member coming back and with a different last name, claiming to be a Zabini, the papers would be all over it," Blaise said quickly. His explanation was as short and brief as he could make it while giving Hermione the necessary information in case anyone asked about her faint resemblance to Blaise even though her skin tone was completely different.

"When can I start?" Hermione asked as she pressed her hands to her chest to stop them shaking.

"As soon as you're wearing your uniform, when you're dressed meet Pansy out the front. And I have more of the calming draught that was in your coffee. I know how it's supposed to be given, you can have it 4 times a day so you have to wait a few hours before your next dose," Blaise smiled warmly. Hermione nodded and then when Blaise handed her a black and red uniform she walked off upstairs with it and changed.

The uniform was made of black trousers, a red apron, and a fitted black tee-shirt underneath deep red robes that cut off at the knee and had sleeves that stopped before the elbows.  
Hermione then took her hair bobble from around her wrist and tied her hair in a high ponytail which she quickly plaited. Her ochre coloured eyes were still as dull as her brown ones had been and she quickly glanced over her appearance making sure she was presentable before grabbing her no-mess quill and her wand and walking downstairs and finding Pansy behind the bar smiling and serving like the gracious host she was.

"Ahh Cody, here's you badge, do you want to follow me around the first few times? After that I'm sure you'll pick it up on your own. Hermione simply nodded and when one of the customers in the bar called for Pansy, respectfully calling her Mrs Zabini, Pansy grabbed a quill and a small parchment notebook. Hermione followed Pansy's lead and plastered a smile on her face as she followed her teacher to the table.

Pansy was all smiles and womanly charm as she served the table of five men, and as she stood there writing orders Hermione copied her, recording the orders as well and then after recording them she cast all the men a dazzling fake smile and wandered back to the bar where Pansy gave the food orders to two more house elves called Winka and Zwink. Pansy then took over making the drinks. All of the men had asked for a butterbeer claiming something about the time of day being too early for strong drinks so Pansy made the first 3 while Hermione watched and then Pansy gave the reins to Hermione on the last two drinks which Hermione got right on her first try.

By the end of the day Hermione felt physically dead on her feet not just mentally, and she'd already been through 3 of her 4 calming draughts. The shakes were coming back and she found herself slipping into a stupor and roaming around on automatic, taking the last orders of the day and getting them correct even when she wasn't currently present. By the time the last of the drunken patrons had been collected and taken home and Hermione had locked the door, she collapsed into shakes, her entire body vibrating as she gave herself over to her despair. The sobs were back and as she tried to muffle the noise she was making a high keening noise began at the back of her throat and shocked, she bit down on her knuckled hard enough to draw blood to stop the noise.

Blaise and Pansy were not back from St. Mungo's yet, they had left when Hermione had reassured her that she could keep shop and lock up as the last half an hour was looking to be quiet. Pansy had told Hermione of her pregnancy and Hermione had plastered a smile on her face and congratulated her, but her happiness wasn't genuine, it was the automated response to a friend with good news. Now Pansy and Blaise were gone and she was sat there on the floor right in front of the entrance, biting down on her knuckles repeatedly while shaking hard enough for her to see her shadow quivering.

With a determined resolve Hermione crawled across the floor to the bar and then she slowly stood up, before picking up a bottle of firewhisky. She knew it was stupid, hell she knew it was dangerous, but right then Hermione didn't want to remember, she didn't want to be able to think straight. Slowly Hermione reached for a glass and with extreme stubbornness she reached for a glass which dropped and smashed as her shaking fingers couldn't grip the glass. A house elf appeared with a slightly pop and when Hermione looked to her left she realised it was Winka the elder female elf.

"Winka can you pour me a glass please?" Hermione asked. The elf looked at Hermione with almost fear in its eyes and it shook its head. "Why?" Hermione begged through her tears.

"Miss Hermione should not have this when she has calming draught in her," Winka declared. Hermione moaned and hit her head off the table, she had two hours of feeling like this before she could take another draught, and it was only when Winka appeared on the table and caught Hermione's head that she realised she had been repeatedly bashing her skull off the hard wood table top. "Miss should not do that!" Winka cried. Hermione shook the elf off and then slipped back onto the floor. Hermione couldn't take it another second longer, she was slipping off the precipice she had balanced on that morning and so her body did the only logical thing left to it and shut down.


	3. I don't need it

When Blaise and Pansy came back home they found the front of the shop locked up with the lights ablaze and a very still, very pale, practically dead looking Hermione sat on the floor by the bar.

"Hermione!" Blaise yelled as he ran towards her. Pansy was equally as frantic and right behind her husband.

"Hermione darling. Are you okay?" Pansy asked. Blaise took Hermione's cool hands, and he leant forwards to see into her lifeless eyes which flickered in his direction. The girl was still alive. "What's wrong with her Blaise?" Pansy whispered.

"To be honest I don't have the foggiest idea Pans. We're taking her to St. Mungo's though, she needs help," Blaise whispered back. Then he bent down and as Hermione was a small, light, girl, shorter than his wife, he could pick her up and carry her easily over to his office fireplace. Pansy walked behind him slowly, waving her wand at different things here and there so she could completely close up downstairs. Blaise waited for Pansy to appear as he cradled Hermione in his arms and Pansy threw the floo powder for him and followed closely afterwards.

The welcome witch at St. Mungo's was unfortunately Lavender Brown who neither liked nor trusted Blaise and Pansy Zabini but for their best friend they swallowed their own dislike of the girl and spoke civilly.

"Brown, there's something wrong with Hermione we need her seen to," Pansy murmured. She knew better than to shout Hermione's name out in public, being 1/3rd of the golden trio meant that reporters would apparate right there on the spot. Lavender looked scornfully at Blaise and Pansy and then at the girl cradled in Blaise's arms still staring off into nothingness.

"I'm not a fool Zabini; you think I wouldn't recognise Hermione Granger when I saw her. I'd recognise that big bushy head anywhere," Lavender sneered. Blaise growled under his breath and looked at Hermione when she let out a quiet wail at her last name.

"We are not playing around Brown, this is Hermione. If you don't trust us, surely you know the counter spell for a glamour charm?" Blaise drawled. Lavender still looked disbelievingly between the trio, before her eyes rested on the girl in a stupor.

"Of course I know the counter spell," Lavender seethed, then she muttered 'Revelio' under her breath, being unable to do the simplest of wordless spells, but sure as the sky is blue, the straight black hair became curly and brown, and the blank ochre eyes became blank brown. The girl in Blaise's arms was indeed Hermione Granger, which put her straight in the "private waiting room list". Lavender grudgingly called for another welcome witch to escort Blaise and Pansy down the corridor to the private waiting room and from there a healer in lime green robes came and asked for Hermione.

Once Hermione was laying down on the examination table the healer looked her over and examined her with her eyes and her wand, umming and ahhing at regular intervals until she finally placed down her wand and looked at Blaise and Pansy.

"Has Hermione been through any emotional turmoil in the past year or two?" The healer asked. Pansy looked dumbfounded at the healer in front of her, but before she could start yelling at the woman for being utterly dense, Blaise took her hand.

"Hermione was 1/3rd of the golden trio, she faced emotional turmoil throughout her entire 7th year at Hogwarts and when the war ended she had to deal with the deaths of friends and the betrayal of Ron Weasley. Last year Hermione returned to Hogwarts to complete her studying and she healed I think, although I don't think she was entirely healed.

"Since the start of Hermione's eighth year she's been looking for her muggle parents. She placed a memory charm on them before the start of her 7th year and sent them to Australia. On Friday she was called to the ministry and they told her that the plane carrying her parents had crashed before they even managed to get there. Friday she cried herself to sleep, Saturday she lay in bed all day in this state and today she was working with the help of a calming draught once every 4 hours. Her next calming draught is meant to be in about an hour. We came home from here and found Hermione like this." Blaise explained. The healer listened closely to Blaise's words and every now and again her eyes would flash with intuition but she would allow Blaise to continue his story without the interruptions.

"By the sounds of it, Miss Granger has never stopped going and although she appeared to be getting over the war and its affects, she never really had that time where she could let it all out and heal. The death of her parents must have been the final thing to place on the pile. I'm not going to sugar coat it, Miss Granger has an acute case of depression. Strong enough to knock her into a stupor rather than face the horrors of her life. She is a broken woman to what you remembered. It will take a tremendous amount of rebuilding to put her to rights again. The stupors will come and go on their own, I shall however prescribe a calming draught to her as it appears to allow her to go about life without completely making her carefree," The healer explained. Blaise and Pansy just nodded solemnly at the healer. "I would like to keep her overnight just to wait out the stupor and give us time to gather her potions. It will also allow us to track any dangerous changes in her state.

Hermione woke up bleary eyed and as she felt the crippling pain in her stomach she gasped and groaned. When she opened her eyes properly this time she saw Blaise and Pansy leaning over her then next to Blaise stood Harry and Neville, and next to Pansy stood Ginny and Luna. The sight of her six closest friends made tears come to Hermione's eyes and she tried to blink them back as she sat up and stared around her.

"What am I doing in hospital?" Hermione muttered to her shaking fingers. Harry's warm hand caught hers and she looked up into the emerald eyes of the man who could have been her brother.

"Mi, you went into another stupor. It's Tuesday night," Harry whispered.

"What do you mean it's Tuesday? It was Sunday only hours ago!" Hermione panicked, and the wild look returned to Hermione's eyes.

"Pans and I came home from here and you were just there on the floor. An unopened bottle of firewhisky was on the counter and Winka was crying hysterically, she thought you were dead. She informed me that you asked her to get you a glass, she refused and you slipped into the stupor," Blaise said slowly and calmly. His voice sounded as if he was simply discussing the weather and that made it easier for Hermione to accept the words her friend was saying, whispered voices and hushed tones only succeeded in alarming her.

"So why am I still here if I'm okay?" Hermione asked as she looked between her friends. Ginny reached over and clasped one of Hermione's hands and smiled.

"They just wanted to make sure, the second stupor in 24 hours is not a good sign. That and they had to get your potions ready," Ginny said, taking her lead from Blaise and keeping her voice calm and even. Hermione looked around her at her friends and saw a glimpse of what they were trying to hide, but even as she saw the glimpse in their smiling expressions, she couldn't decipher what any of it meant. For once in her life Hermione did not know the answer and it frightened her so much she felt tears spill down her cheeks.

"Hermione what's wrong?" Pansy murmured.

"I… I… I don't know. I can see it in your eyes, there's something you're trying to hide from me, but I don't know what. I don't know the answer," Hermione gasped as her teeth worried on her bottom lip.

Hermione looked down at her bed sheets and watched as tears fell. She was still worrying on her bottom lip when she noticed a tiny droplet of blood fall.

"Hermione stop with the teeth," Neville gasped. He had been the only one to watch her cry and he noticed the blood droplets. Hermione stopped and gasped and then started to panic. The wild look returned to her eyes and her eyes flickered manically between her friends before she fell back onto the bed and let out a loud wail as she covered her face. The sound was like that of an infant, a frustrated baby who could make neither head not tail of the situation, a child who needed comfort and reassurance from their mother, but for Hermione no reassurance was coming in the form of her mother so her friends cringed and cried and dug their nails into their palms as she refused to let anyone touch her.

A healer rushed into the room carrying Hermione's calming draught and surveyed the scene around her before she hurried over to the bed, lifted Hermione into a seated position and told her to drink. Hermione looked at the woman with eyes begging for help and she took the drink and willingly swallowed it.

It took mere minutes for the drink to have an effect on her body, but she could feel it was ten times stronger than the stuff she was given courtesy of her friends. When the potion did start to act, Hermione felt her hands stop shaking and relax by her sides, she felt her eyes focus on things properly and felt the pain in her lip from where she'd been biting it viciously. The healer looked at Hermione's palms where here nails had pierced her skin and then looked at her lip and took out her wand, vanishing the light surface wounds.

"Better?" The healer asked.

"Yes," Hermione dead panned, the healer just looked at Hermione.

"In ordinary circumstances I would bid you stay in the hospital, in the ward designed for patients with temporary mental disorders like depression. However I can see that confining you here would have the opposite effect. So Miss Granger. I wish to see you back here, every other day for a check-up and an appointment with a psychiatrist, you need to take your calming draughts every 4 hours you are awake to prevent a relapse into the stupor. Don't bottle things up Hermione, please, talk to your friends, that's why they're here.

"Wait I don't need to see a psychiatrist!" Hermione panicked. The healer simply looked at Hermione and held her gaze until she calmed down.

"I'm afraid dear, you do, you need the help to prevent you falling deeper into this, and you're already dangerously deep my dear. Now I suggest you go home and go about things normally I shall make an appointment for this time on Thursday, the hospital is mainly quiet at this time of night." The healer smiled. Hermione looked up at the head strong woman and eventually nodded meekly. When Hermione finally reached back to the Three Broomsticks with all her friends, Ridly prepared her something to eat and then she went to bed too exhausted to stay awake.

The next morning provided Hermione with a strange refreshed feeling and as soon as she was awake Ridly was at her side with her calming draught and her breakfast. Wolfing down her breakfast with enthusiasm Ron Weasley would be proud of, she then uncorked the portion of calming draught that was in a small vial and drained it. In a stroke of feeling much more alert and on the ball Hermione charmed her wand to buzz in 4 hours so she could take her next lot of medication on time. Hermione dressed and replaced the glamour charm on her eyes and hair and put her hair back up into the high ponytail and plaited it down before she wandered down the stairs to meet Pansy at the front of the shop.

"Morning Pans," Hermione sighed. Pansy looked up from where she was opening blinds and smiled.

"Morning Mi, how're you today?"

"I dunno," Hermione sighed as she shrugged, but she went through the movements of helping Pansy open up the shop and when the first few customers trickled in and the witches and wizards who had stayed overnight came down stairs Hermione was ready for her day as good as she could ever be. That was until lunch time.

Hermione held her calming draught in a vial in her hands and she turned away from the customers who didn't want serving and downed it in one, waiting for the potion to hit her and then she relaxed and reset the charm on her wand.

"Tut, tut, tut, does Mrs Zabini know that you're taking things newbie?" said a drawling voice from behind her. Hermione whipped around and found herself gazing the silvery grey eyes of the only man besides Ronald Weasley that she truly despised. Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy?" Hermione blurted out in a disgusted tone. Draco sneered at Hermione's name tag.

"Excuse me, Cody is it? Do I know you?" Draco drawled.

"No, but I know you," Hermione hissed. Draco stood by the bar staring at the rude stranger with disgust painted on her face, he knew her from somewhere and he'd be damned if he didn't figure it all out.

"Draco!" Pansy cried as she walked out of the office. Draco turned away from the rude stranger who had gone on her rounds around the tables, quill in hand, and gave a hug to one of his oldest friends.

"Pansy, how are you?" Draco asked warmly as he presented Pansy with one of his rare smiles.

"I'm doing well thank you, yourself?" Pansy countered.

"I'm doing better than I could imagine. Father died the other month but Mother has been taking it better than I ever thought she could, and as Father died I was given the company but I've given it to the co-head and the Malfoys are no longer involved. I miss him, he was my father, but to keep that company would only remind me of all the things he did wrong with it." Draco said pensively but then he grinned. "So what's new on the cards Pans? I see the shop is still standing," Draco joked.

"Yeah, the _inn_ is still standing, Blaise and I are still as happily married as ever, if not more so because Draco…" Pansy then leant in close to the ear of the man who was practically her brother. "I'm pregnant." Draco let out a gasp of surprise and then let out a loud laugh and congratulated her happily. His best mates in the entire world were having a baby.

"You had better make me godfather Pans, or I will never forgive you," Draco mock growled with a glare cast straight into her green eyes. Pansy laughed and smacked his arm lightly.

"We have a list building up, you see Ginny, Hermione and Luna are probably going to be Godmothers, and then Harry, Nev and You will be Godfathers. But there's another 6 and a half months left to go yet," Pansy said softly as she rested her hand against her non-existent baby bump. Draco's eyes crinkled at the corners in a soft smile.

"I am still yet to meet Potter, Weasley, the girl Weasley, Granger and Lovegood. I haven't spoken to them in a long while and we weren't exactly on the best of terms. I believe Weasley punched me in the face during the war because I was being a coward and a two-faced little shit right after they saved Goyle and me from the ROR. I never did thank them for that I don't think," Draco mused.

Hermione who was passing Draco as he spoke froze and then turned back to face him.

"I apologise sincerely for being rude earlier on Mr Malfoy, however would you mind taking a walk with me when I have my break, I should explain my behaviour," Hermione said timidly. Draco's eyes swung around to face Hermione and she dropped her eyes to the floor to avoid those liquid silver eyes of his.

"Um," Draco spluttered. He could barely get his words out of his mouth and Pansy was there in front of him almost bent double with silent laughter. "Sure, what time is your break?" Draco asked. Hermione checked her wrist for her watch and realised she'd forgotten it. Draco casually offered his own wrist out where she saw a muggle watch there.

"In around half an hour, you don't mind waiting do you?" Hermione murmured to her feet after she checked the time. Draco couldn't help but look at the woman in front of him. She had the air of once being a woman who could hold her own and stand tall against any foe and competitor, much like Hermione Granger. But this woman had been defeated and she stood there meek and timid awaiting his decision. Draco couldn't help but wonder how she knew him and what she knew that caused her to hate him so. Draco had had a more than innocent reputation since the war, he rose to take his father's place well, he was a kind and just man nowadays. This witch must have known about him from before the war.

"I have no problem waiting for you as long as you agree to serve me while you wait," Draco smirked cheekily. The woman's gaze flickered up to his and then back down. That single piercing gaze made him feel hot under the collar and the witch's shrug made him gawp at her. No witch, no wizard, no muggle ever shrugged at Draco Malfoy, it just wasn't done. Malfoys were answered with a yes or no answer, not a non-committable shrug.

Thankfully the witch hurried off and Blaise hurried over to Pansy, noticing her bent double and not knowing she was laughing.

"Pansy are you okay?" Blaise murmured as he took his wife gently in his arms. He heard noises coming from his wife as if she was crying and he pulled back to check if she was indeed crying, but no she was instead creasing up with laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Apparently the idea that your new waitress has asked me out for a walk in half an hour," Draco drawled as he watched the girl in question move from table to table and back to the bar bringing orders and serving food as if she'd been doing it for years.

"Draco! Mate where in the name of Merlin have you been?" Blaise laughed. Draco's own deep laugh joined in with Blaise's and he just pulled his other best friend into his embrace.

"I have been hiding deep inside the manor trying to figure out a way out of all the dark twisted things my father had managed to do to the company so I could finally pass it off. I've never wanted it so why should I keep it but mate I felt like an antisocial old guy," Draco complained. Pansy and Blaise simply laughed harder.

"No wonder Draco Malfoy has such an innocent reputation, he hasn't been out with a woman to get caught not being innocent. How was a year of abstinence mate?" Blaise teased. Draco scowled at the man who was practically his brother but as he went to reply his words were lost as Cody bent over nearby to get something she'd dropped on the floor. What the hell. What kind of witch gets near the floor to retrieve something when they had a wand, even if she did have quite an attractive ass? Unless…

Draco's fast mind started clicking and taking things piece by piece and shredding them apart before putting them back together. First of all, the woman had an extreme dislike for him, one that could have only really have been forged before and during the war. Secondly the witch reminded him of Hermione Granger, only with a defeated air about her, she had the air of a broken person, and lastly the witch had bent over to get the quill she had dropped, instead of using 'accio quill' like a normal witch or wizard.

"Tell me something Blaise," Draco said quietly as he cut his eyes away from the witch's fetching behind and onto his sheepish friend.

"Tell you what?" Blaise asked nervously.

"Is that Hermione Granger?" Draco asked. Blaise and Pansy glanced at each other and that was all Draco needed to know. "That is _the_ Hermione Granger? What happened to her hair and eyes?"

"It's a disguise. She doesn't want to be recognised by anyone as it would make her life difficult. You're the only one to clock and that's because you knew of her." Pansy explained.

"Don't let on that you know, she's not been in the greatest place the past week," Blaise continued. Draco just nodded. His eyes were fixed on the defeated figure of Hermione Granger.

"Wait what do you mean?" Draco then asked.

"Her parents died at the beginning of her 7th year in a plane crash. Don't call her Granger," Blasie whispered into his mate's ear. Draco's eyes cut back to his friend in a confused glance. "Just don't Draco."


	4. What in Merlin's name?

When Hermione's break turned up she looked outside and saw the sun was beating down with an intensity that meant she didn't need her cloak, so she made her way over to the corner table where Draco sat.

"Hi," Hermione murmured. Draco looked up at the woman standing in front of his table twisting her fingers.

"Hi. You ready?" Draco asked quietly as he looked at the defeated figure of the woman. She nodded mutely and then turned towards the door. Draco stood up quickly and followed the witch who was walking quickly away from him. When he reached the door he looked left and right quickly before spotting the witch he was seeking running in the direction of shrieking shack and he ran after her.

"Hey! HEY!" Draco yelled as he chased her. The witch didn't look back she simply ran up and up the hill by the shrieking shack until she finally got there and stopped, resting her hands on the fence. "What the hell was that?" Draco cursed, not in the slightest out of breath. Hermione whipped around and faced him defiance flashing in her eyes before it was gone and she stood there gawping at Draco, seemingly unaware she was doing so.

Hermione stared at Draco; from his head to his toes the guy was hot. His ever present white blonde hair was falling in his eyes and had a casual messy look to it, his grey eyes were liquid silver and at the minute a mixture of anger and amusement resided inside them. In her visual exploration, her eyes travelled down his face, noting how the sharp, pointy features of his childhood had strengthened and matured. His jaw had widened since she'd last seen him making him look like less of the coward that she knew he could be, his nose was perfectly straight despite her breaking it in third year, and his lips were full but not too much so. She found herself lost in the grey eyes of the man which once upon a time had regarded her with disgust and cold hatred but were now alight with curiosity, something akin to lust, and were like silver lava as he smiled a handsome smile. The man looked good enough to eat.

Tearing her eyes away from Draco's face her eyes trailed down his body, noting the strong shoulders and the evidence of a strong, hard chest and thin waist. Quidditch had been good to him in more ways than it had been to Harry, only Hermione couldn't look at Harry the way she was looking at Draco, he was like her brother, it wasn't right.

As Hermione stood there Draco took a notice of the fact she was mentally stripping him and he smirked his signature Malfoy smirk before finding himself doing the same while she was unawares. As he admired her he noticed the womanly curves she had that had certainly not been there when he last saw her on the battlefield. He'd already noticed that she had a decent sized arse, and the fitted top she was wearing left little to his imagination at the size of her breasts, while the way her hair was pulled up emphasised the slender neck she had and made Draco want to kiss the soft skin he saw there while wrapping his hands around that tiny waist of hers. He had a feeling that his long fingers would probably meet at her back if he held her like that. His brain unexpectedly started calling up mental images and coupled with her piercingly hot gaze, Draco started feeling unexplainably hot for the woman in front of him.

"_Shit_," Draco cursed under his breath as he stuffed his hands in his front pockets. His body was starting to react like he was a 16 year old boy, abstinence had not been good to him, and these reactions were unacceptable. Draco cleared his throat instead and when Hermione's eyes caught his she closed her mouth.

"Sorry," Hermione muttered. Her eyes then dropped to the floor and she turned her back on Draco.

"Are you okay?" Draco questioned.

"Not really," Hermione whispered.

"It was Cody wasn't it?" Draco asked as he walked up and leant on the fence next to Hermione.

"No," Hermione answered shortly.

"So what is it?" Draco was trying to be patient but his famously short patience was running out.

"It's Hermione Gr…Gran… Hermione Gran," Hermione was stammering, she couldn't get her mouth around her last name, she was trying to force it out but as she got close to completing it she felt a wave of despair creep up and threaten to drown her out, and her hands clamped down tightly on the fence, forgetting the fact that one edge was barbed. In fact she didn't even feel the pain.

Draco gasped as he looked at the girl, she was slowly hunching over and then he saw where her hands were pressed and he started forwards towards her.

"Granger, let go," Hermione froze for a few seconds and then she let out a loud sob that pierced the air like nothing Draco had heard since the war, and as she cried she let go and dropped to the floor. On the floor, she pressed her ruined hands to her face and shook violently. "Merlin, Granger. What the hell?" Draco muttered and he carefully got to his knees in front of her. "Granger?"

"STOP IT!" Hermione screamed suddenly. Draco fell over onto his arse. "Don't call me that, it's over, they're gone, I'm not a…I'm not," Hermione was shaking hard now as she gasped through her fingers. Draco was staring aghast as he looked at the girl in front of him. What the hell had happened to the know-it-all, opinionated, bossy and bushy haired Hermione Granger he knew from school? Hermione was now muttering incoherently under her breath and shaking too hard to even stand so Draco sighed with trepidation and stood up before crouching and then picking her up bridal style so he could carry her back to the inn.

Draco ignored the strange glances that were cast his way as he travelled back carrying Hermione, she was exceptionally light, but she was short and slender so it wasn't surprising.

"Pans!" Draco called. Instead of Pansy, Blaise looked up and gasped.

"What happened?"

"She tried to tell me who she was but couldn't say it. I finished her sentence like an idiot and she froze and started pressing her hands on this spiky fence so I told her to stop, but old habits die hard and I called her by her last name like a twat," Draco cursed in a low voice. Blaise levelled a look into Draco's eyes and sighed heavily.

"Follow me," Blaise said and he turned to another witch behind the bar. "Keep an eye on things for a few minutes." The young witch nodded and Blaise started walking towards the offices at the back. Draco shifted Hermione in his arms and followed Blaise up to the private living quarters out the back and up the stairs to Hermione's bedroom.

"Put her on the bed Draco," Blaise murmured.

"Well where else am I going to put her?" Draco said sarcastically. He was starting to feel Hermione's weight now he'd been carrying her for a while and he was getting snappy.

"No need to be sarcastic bro," Blaise snickered as he watched Draco laid Hermione on her bed gently, but as he tried to let her go, Hermione stopped murmuring and her eyes fixed on Draco as he tried to let her go.

"No," Hermione croaked.

"No?" Draco questioned as his eyes fixed on her now brown eyes, Blaise had undone the glamour charm as Draco had lain her down.

"Stay," Hermione whispered. Draco looked into her face thoroughly shocked.

"You want me to stay?" Draco asked with his shock evident in his face. Hermione nodded, and Draco looked at Blaise. Blaise saw the look of utter shock on Draco's face and he doubled over into silent laughter. Draco looked at Hermione, staring deep into her brown eyes and noticing just how dull and dead they looked and his mind was made up. He'd made the mistake of staying away and in the background not lending an ounce of help once before and he was never going to make that mistake again no matter what he had to do.

He then sat down on the covers next to Hermione and she adjusted herself so her head was resting on his thighs. Calling upon some of the things he knew his mother found relaxing, Draco touched Hermione's hair and with gentle hands proceeded to undo her plait, the plait that had thickened considerably as Blaise undid the glamour charm. Once her plait was undone, Draco proceeded to remove the elastic bobble she'd used to tie her hair up and then he ran his fingers through the wild bushy mane of honey brown hair. On closer inspection he realised that the bushy hair he had always thought was simply just frizzy was actually just a mane of tight curls. Hermione moved her head and let out a quiet sound of satisfaction as Draco's fingers ran through her hair and Draco shifted uncomfortably as her head brushed him in a very sensitive place.

"_Draco!_" Blaise hissed. Draco looked up at his mate who was staring flabbergasted at his best friend. Draco shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Blaise.

"What am I supposed to do?" Draco whispered. Blaise fished around inside his robe pocket and took out another one of those vials.

"Here. Keep her calm for now, this is her next dosage of her calming draught, she can have that when her wand buzzes next and not before. As long as you're careful with what you talk about you should have no problems keeping her calm. I think sleeping would also be a good idea because she hasn't been sleeping well," Blaise murmured quietly in Draco's ear as he walked past him, noticing that Hermione was asleep as he did so.

"Dude, can I have a book or something?" Draco questioned.

"I'm sure Hermione has every book you could ever think of hidden in that bag of hers on the desk,"

"You want me to go through a woman's handbag to find entertainment. Are you mental?" Draco queried raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Blaise just shrugged his shoulders as he walked towards the door.

"Summon something, you don't necessarily have to go through her handbag, and I doubt you would find anything even if you did, she has like a bottomless extension charm on there or something mad," Blaise smirked. Draco scowled as Blaise left the room and shut the door.

Hoping for the best Draco raised his wand and concentrated on what he wanted.

"Accio Othello," Draco summoned. Waiting for a few seconds Draco then saw the book worm its way out of Hermione's handbag and fly over to him where he caught it with seeker's precision. Othello was the book he had taken to after hearing about a magic story written by a muggle called Shakespeare from his mother after his father died. Unfortunately when Draco had read a midsummer night's dream, he was quite disappointed and his mother had found a book he might have preferred to read. In fact Draco was shocked that Hermione had that particular book inside her bag, he was sure she only read the great big dusty volumes found in a secluded section of the library. He had seen her at it, lugging books that were almost as wide her waist down to a table in the library.

Draco had been nursing a stupid secret crush on Hermione ever since she had taken the initiative to break his nose. He was a prat back then and he could still remember her exact words of him being a "foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach". Draco knew he had been an utter dick to everyone back at Hogwarts and he had spent last year making up with those he had teased to distraction, while locking himself in his office and making note of what the company was doing and how he would get out of it. His father had no idea of Draco's plans to pass the company onto the next worthy candidate, and he was sure that his father would be turning in his Azkaban grave at the fact. Draco shook away his distracted thoughts and opened the book to the page he had left it at and found a very pretty bookmark there. Gently moving the bookmark out of the way Draco began to read, making sure to replace the bookmark when he turned the page.

Hermione woke up almost 4 hours later and looked up at Draco who was lost in the book he was reading.

"Malfoy?" Hermione questioned.

"The one and only darling," Draco smiled. He was allowed to tease her innocently wasn't he?

"What are you doing here? Moreover what in Merlin's name am I doing with my head in your lap?" Hermione asked slowly, although she didn't move.

"Well you see. We went on a walk, and you shut down I guess, so I carried you back and put you in your bed when I went to leave you grabbed me and told me to stay, so I sat down and you put your head in my lap. I borrowed Othello by the way, you don't mind do you, it's just you were sleeping so I didn't want to wake you," Draco murmured apologetically. Now was not the time to talk about saying sorry for the Mudblood comments and being a total arse to her. Surely that apology would bring back memories of her muggle parents which would not go down well.

"You helped me?" Hermione gasped as she sat up quickly.

"Um yeah, did you expect me to leave you there? Oh and I healed your hands, what the fuck have you being doing?" Draco spluttered, before he closed his mouth and put a lid on it. Hermione looked at Draco shocked for a few seconds and then at her hands which were clear of anything except the soft lines in her hands.

"What do you mean? Hermione questioned as she scooted the other side of the bed and leant against the headboard from him.

"Never mind," Draco murmured. Hermione just looked at Draco and then shrugged before her eyes dropped to the loose thread in her bed covers, which was lucky for him because at that moment he forgot every prim and proper ruling on hiding his emotions he had ever been taught by his father and his mouth dropped open.

Since when had know-it-all Granger ever, ever just shrugged in response to a never mind. Draco was bracing himself for pleading and cajoling to reveal what he had said and then braced himself for the ensuing panic attack, but none came.

"H-How do you feel?" Draco stammered, recovering his composure quickly and trying to cover up his shock even if she took no notice of it.

Hermione looked up from the loose grey thread and stared at Draco without really seeing him.

"What?" She muttered, having lost track of his question as soon as she looked up.

"How do you feel?" Draco repeated calmly. As Hermione was looking directly at Draco when he asked her the question she felt emotion zoom across her face at the fact there was no sneer or drawl to his tone, and no smirk on his face. But almost as soon as she tried to grab onto the foreign emotion it was gone. The only emotions Hermione knew now were pain, sorrow and anger. As of yet she was yet to experience a full onslaught of anger, but she could sense it brewing even though she was practically senseless. Draco's expectant gaze jogged Hermione from her thoughts and she frowned.

"What did you just ask me?" Hermione repeated. This time shock flitted across Draco's face.

"You're not deaf are you?" Draco asked sounding worried and Hermione gasped.

"What… No… No I can hear you… I can… I can hear you," Hermione whispered quickly and Draco instantly saw he had said the wrong thing but the frown that had appeared, the slight glistening to her eyes and the teeth appearing on the bottom lip she had been biting.

"Hermione," Draco called as he watched her eyes flicker around the room as her teeth started to pierce her lower lip. "Hermione," Draco called again, louder this time as blood started to pool around her teeth. "Hermione STOP!" Draco bellowed. The girl in question jumped about a foot and finally fixed her eyes on Draco as her mouth dropped open in total shock.

"Why are you shouting?" Hermione whispered.

"Because you're bleeding," Draco said simply and he moved closer to her with his wand raised gently, but she flinched away. Draco cringed back to his corner and dropped his wand in defeat and raised his hands. "I was not going to hurt you," Draco whispered. Hermione's eyes searched Draco's handsome face and she saw a sincere look of hurt and apologies, but there was a tiny spot of hope hidden amongst those molten silver eyes.

"What were you going to do?" Hermione asked after several moments in which she did not notice the blood dripping from her lip and onto her chin. Draco shuddered as he looked at Hermione, although his shudder was not strong enough to be seen. She looked pale and gaunt, her eyes were dead and her thick curly hair was a man around her face as she asked her question with blood dripping from her lower lip.

"I was going to heal your lip," Draco whispered. Just then sudden awareness flashed across Hermione's face and she raised her hand to her lip and saw that her hand came away covered in red liquid.

"Oh," Hermione said inadequately, but then her eyes flashed and she narrowed her dead eyes. "Does my dirty blood disgust you that much Malfoy?" Hermione then hissed. Draco blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

"What? Where did that come from?" Draco gasped.

"Well I believe _you_ were the one to first call me a mudblood. So Malfoy are you disgusted?" Hermione's voice was as high and as hissy as a snake and Draco shivered.

"I am sorry. Truly, from the bottom of my unworthy, cowardly heart I am sorry for calling you that. Maybe one day I will explain the ins and outs of why I acted the way

I did towards you. For now I just need you to know that I am not disgusted with you or your blood, nor am I ashamed to be sat here with you. I am truly sorry for how I was, but I'm different than I was then," Draco murmured softly. As he spoke of his non-existent disgust for her blood he conjured some tissue and lightly wiped away the blood that had fallen on her chin, before he froze and relaxed back as the tissue disappeared. Hermione's gaze was like fire, it was hot and it held hatred so deep and disgusting that Draco flinched away from her.

_How dare he touch me, how dare he even think…_

"Can I heal you please, you're ruining the Zabini's linen," Draco drawled. His instant reaction to her hate being to hide himself behind his sneering façade, life was easier if people didn't know he had emotions. Hermione smirked to herself as she saw the familiar Draco Malfoy. This one she could handle. The new Malfoy was an entire new being to her. So familiar in looks but yet so different. Hermione suddenly felt her anger intensify and swell, but as quickly as it came it was gone, replaced by a dull blank look and shakes that seemed to intensify by the second. "HERMIONE!" Draco bellowed and Hermione jumped and blinked and she found herself staring at him. She was still shaking she clapped her hands to her mouth and looked at Draco with a scared look in her eyes.

As Draco looked at Hermione he felt like someone had just punched him in the gut and tears sprang to his eyes. He had only ever seen her this scared once before and he'd made a promise that he would never make her as scared as then, but this was worse and he once again concluded that he never wanted to see any woman look that scared ever again in his life, much less Hermione. So quickly without giving her time to protest he lowered her hands gently with his right hand and then raised the other one holding his wand and murmured a healing incantation as he directed his wand at her lips.

Hermione cringed back into the headboard as she registered Draco's lighting fast movement of his wand to her face, but no sooner had she cringed away and shuddered she felt a warmth pass over her lips and then when she ran her tongue out over them she felt only smooth skin, nothing more, nothing less.

"There you go," Draco smirked, obviously proud of himself. Hermione couldn't find it in herself to say thank you. Not because she wasn't grateful, but because she found she was incapable of opening her mouth due to the strength of the shakes that were rocking through her small body.

Draco started looking around hopefully for something that would help ease the shakes and just as he did he heard a buzzing sound and he turned to see Hermione's wand vibrating as hard as she was next to her vial of calming draught. Draco dived at the calming draught and uncorked it before he bellowed her name to get her attention and handed her the vial.

Hermione took a hold of the vial like a lifeline and she raised it to her lips and let the sweet liquid run down her throat and as it hit her stomach she felt it spread stillness and calm through her body and mind. Hermione then looked up and as if she had only just seen Malfoy for the first time, launched herself off the bed, grabbed her wand and pointed it at him.

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing with here Malfoy?" Hermione sneered and Draco ran a hand through his hair, mussing it even more as he sighed deeply.

"Shit," Draco groaned, he was about to have the same conversation he had just had, with the Hermione Granger that he remembered from Hogwarts.


	5. So what's Next?

Draco sighed and then looked up at Hermione.

"I came to see Pansy and Blaise, then you were rude to me, then you apologised to we went for a walk, then you collapsed sort of so I brought you back here, then you fell asleep and I read some of Othello, and finally you woke up and bit your lips so I healed them, then you started to shake and just in time you wand started buzzing and I gave you the vial. I assume you don't need a run through of the last 30 seconds do you?" Draco smirked. His smirk was not full of malice, more like cockiness.

"Don't get smart with me Malfoy," Hermione snapped.

"Jeesh okay. Gr- Hermione I wanted you to be okay. I didn't want you to cry or bleed or shout or be scared I just wanted to be someone to turn to when Potter wasn't there,"

"Why wouldn't Harry be here?" Hermione snapped, and Draco couldn't help but wonder what the hell was going on. It was like she'd done a 180 turn around with her attitude and her eyes seemed more alive than ever as she argued at him.

"I don't know you tell me why Pot-head and the Weasel aren't here," Draco sneered. He was being mean, he knew he was, he had told her he changed and he had, but if acting like his old self would bring her back from whatever cold hell she was in, that's what he would do.

"Don't you dare bring Weasley into this?" Hermione snarled as she advanced on Draco drawing her wand. Draco smirked at her and raised his wand.

"I have a wand too, or did you forget I'm a wizard?" Draco sneered. He was purposefully not saying the word she expected to hear. He wasn't ever going to repeat that disgusting name again. Everyone's blood was red, whether they were pureblood, half-blood, muggleborn or a simple muggle; it was crazy for pureblood wizards to be so prejudiced.

"No of course not. I couldn't forget you're a wizard. What do you think I am, simple?" Hermione hissed. Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione as they stood wand to wand with each other. The girl hated him and all he wanted to do was apologise and say sorry for everything he'd done, he wanted to make amends and prove that in the year he had disappeared, he had truly changed and become his own man, not his father's idea of a perfect Malfoy heir.

"Wizards and witches aside. What's the Weasel done that's so bad to make you call him Weasley?" Draco smirked.

"Don't bring him up," Hermione sneered, her voice was gaining volume and as Draco contemplated his next words he wondered if what he was going to say next would cause her to punch him or scream at him.

"Ooh, so apparently all is not well in the perfect Golden trio. I mean if the "brains" is calling her best friend, supposed lover, by his last name and the "courage" or the "power" or whatever he's called nowadays has left his other best friend alone... Well what's a guy to think?" Draco drawled. Hermione's eyes sparked in a hatred that Draco knew all too well from his Hogwarts years and suddenly she had taken a step forwards and smacked him.

Draco stood there as a red palm began to appear on his cheek. Hermione was breathing heavily and as Draco didn't move, she did, and she began screaming insults at him as she beat her small fists on his chest. It was painful but not unbearably so like the cruciatus curses he had been subjected to for disobedience. So Draco shut down all emotion as she hit him, just as he had done when he had been under his father's wand.

"Hermione," Draco murmured quietly, but being in a rage she didn't hear him so he dropped his wand and brought his hands around her back to pull her against him so she couldn't move to hit him.

"Let go," Hermione struggled. She had started to cry now but Draco continued to hold her to him, refusing to let her go. "Let me go, please," Hermione then whispered. Draco still refused to let her go.

Shortly after her struggles stopped she began to cry and clung to him.

"The loss of a parent, even one as twisted as my father, is a pain greater than all others. You need to let it go. Stop bottling your emotions Hermione," Draco murmured onto the top of her head.

"What would you know," Hermione gasped into his chest.

"My father died a few months back, and I mourned him for a while, but got over it. My father was a twisted, evil man, but still one of my parents. Your parents were obviously good people and to lose them both… It must hurt," Draco whispered.

"How do you know they're…?" Hermione asked, unable to say the word that she knew was true.

"Blaise told me," Draco answered. Hermione dissolved into sobs and he held her tightly in his arms.

Just then Blaise rushed into the unlocked bedroom.

"What's going on? I heard shouting." Blaise said frantically then he gasped. "What the…?"

"We argued a bit," Draco said airily, with a shrug.

"Drake, I told you…" Blaise began but Draco cut him off with a glare.

"Don't call me that infernal name Blaise. And I know you told me, but it's me and Gr-Hermione, what do you expect would happen once she'd calmed down enough to notice me."

"Sorry mate, it's kinda rubbed off on me from Pansy, and I guess you're right… I was being too hopeful," Blaise smirked.

"What were you hoping for?" Draco asked quietly. Blaise simply shrugged and smiled. "Stop being so annoying Zabini," Draco then drawled. Blaise just laughed and then walked away.

"Why are you here Malfoy?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice.

"You asked me to stay," Draco explained quietly.

"I asked you to stay… Why ever would I do that?" Hermione muttered.

"You tell me, I was just as surprised as you are now," Draco chuckled.

"Oh," Hermione said inadequately. Draco then struck by a stroke of genius pulled back and away from her.

"You wouldn't…happen to…ehm…want to go for dinner with me…would you?" Draco asked nervously. Hermione looked at Draco with a confused frown on her face, and just for a second Draco saw a brief flash of feeling in her eyes, but when it faded, her eyes were warmer almost.

"Yes Malfoy, I would, however, not yet," Hermione said, holding a hand up to quench Draco's obvious enthusiasm.

"Why not?" Draco asked.

"Because look at me Malfoy," Hermione said with a gasp. She knew what she was like, but she couldn't speak the words.

"I am looking at you," Draco murmured.

"I'm a shell of who I was," Hermione whispered, and as she said it she closed her eyes a lone tear fell down her tear stained face. Draco brought his hand up to brush the tear away but thought better of it.

"Very well, when you are ready I shall find you," Draco said quietly. Then he stepped back from Hermione and disapparated.

"Mother!" Draco called as he apparated into the foyer of Malfoy Manor.

"Draco dear, whatever are you doing home already?" Narcissa asked as her son strode into the sitting room. Draco noted her company with a smart nod. Carlos Captonia, a pureblood wizard with his mother's last name had been courting his mother since his father's imprisonment before his death and so far Draco had no reason to dislike the man, and mother had every right to move on, yet when she married, Malfoy manor would no longer be home to her.

"Mother, how can you bring a woman back from whatever cold hell she is subjected to?" Draco asked quietly as he sat across from her.

"Draco, whatever do you mean?" Narcissa challenged. She watched as her son's eyes cut to the floor and then back up to his mother.

"I ran into Hermione Granger today," Draco said by way of explanation. Narcissa raised a hand to her mouth and then lowered it back to her lap and looked back at Carlos.

"Carlos. May we continue this another day?" Narcissa asked sweetly. Carlos smiled and he stood up before bowing to Narcissa, taking her raised hand as he did so and laying a soft kiss over her knuckles.

"Of course sweet Narcissa, how does a dinner tomorrow night sound?" Carlos asked smoothly. Draco watched his mother giggle like a school girl and rolled his eyes as he turned his head away.

When Draco heard the floo go off he turned back around to find his mother drinking tea and gazing at him over the top of his cup.

"Draco whatever is the matter?" Narcissa asked. Draco sat down heavily on the chair he stood by and his mother frowned at him.

"Hermione found out that her parents died on their way to where she sent them at the beginning of her 7th year when she ran off with Harry and Ron," Draco murmured. Narcissa was the only person on the planet who knew that Draco now referred to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger by their first names. At first she had been shocked, but after Draco explained that he owed them his life, she had gotten used to it.

"Where did she send them?" Narcissa asked.

"I don't know, but it was a muggle invention that killed them," Draco sighed heavily.

"And now she's what?" Narcissa asked.

"Practically dead, lifeless, cold, the sparkle in her eyes long since disappeared. I mean her eyes used to be warm when she was with her friends and used to spark with hate when she saw me, but today, there was nothing," Draco sighed again as he rested his head in his hands.

"Draco, do not take this the wrong way, but darling, since when have you ever cared?" Narcissa asked gently as she surveyed her son's slumped figure.

"Since that day she was dragged here. Mother her screams, they terrified me, I never wanted to see or hear her in that much pain ever again. I want to be the one to protect her, to hold her when she cries, to…" Draco cut off suddenly as he realised he had been about to blurt out his closest secret to his mother.

Narcissa watched as a faint pink colour appeared across her son's high cheekbones and she hid her smile with a delicate sip.

"You want to be her protector, her confident, her lover, her everything," Narcissa finished and when Draco looked up at her, she saw the faint pink blush had grown to his entire face.

"Mother I'm not sure I want that much," Draco said in a strangled whisper.

"Oh but you do my son. I know because I am your mother. Yes you may be all grown up now and soon 20, but you will be as easy to read as you were when you were crying for food as an infant. So back to the matter at hand, what are you going to do?" Narcissa stated plainly before drawing Draco's attention to his initial questions.

"I don't know what to do mother. I asked her if she would like to go for dinner and she said yes but not yet. Then went on to tell me she was a shell of who she was. She's on a prescribed calming draught at the minute and constantly seems on the edge of falling into a stupor unless you bellow her name." Draco rattled off quickly. As he finished he ran his hand through his messy platinum coloured hair and then smoothed it as he saw Narcissa's eyes follow his hand.

Slowly, with calmness Draco could only expect from his mother, she folded her hands in her lap having discarded her empty tea cup on a tray a house elf appeared with.

"It appears to me Draco, that you cannot be selfish here." Narcissa stated. Draco looked up at his mother and frowned.

"Selfish?" He then questioned, as if he had never heard the word before.

"Draco you must think of her and how she feels before you can even consider what you want. She admitted she was a shell of herself and you told me how she appeared. You need to help her find herself again, if you want anything to do with her," Narcissa explained as she stood up and began to pace in front of her son, swiftly moving from the left to the right of Draco's vision.

"Mother I don't know how to do that. That's why I came here," Draco sighed heavily.

"Has there been a point at which you've seen the old Hermione?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, we were arguing. She looked a bit warmer afterwards, but I will not bring her back by being an arse to her Mother," Draco said quickly.

"Well then what else do you suggest. Find out what she likes, dislikes, talk to her, let her rant at you, about you, through you, to you. Be there for her Draco." Narcissa commanded as she stopped right in front of her son and stared into his eyes.

"Mother, she is pushing everyone away," Draco groaned.

"And?" Narcissa asked, raising an eyebrow in an expression Draco had inherited.

"And what?" Draco asked, confusion crossing his features. Narcissa's face softened and she walked over to her son and knelt in front of him, raising both her warm hands to place on her son's face.

"Exactly my son, and what?"

"So you're saying that no matter how many times she pushes me away, screams at me, has a general hissy fit, turn up again the next day with something new to grab her attention and get her through this?" Draco asked as if he was viewing the sun for the first time. Narcissa nodded with confidence and Draco smiled at his mother before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you mother."

"Darling I did nothing but push you in the direction you were already walking in," Narcissa smiled as she picked herself up off the floor and smoothed down her robes.

Narcissa looked into her son's face and smiled happily. He had come a long way since the end of the war, and as bad as it sounded Lucius's death and with it the end of their loveless marriage had done well for her and surprisingly, done well for Draco. When Lucius' will said that everything he owned was to be left to his son Draco, she, Narcissa, was not surprised. Their marriage held no love what so ever despite them being husband and wife for 20 years, so when he died she expected nothing.

"Son, what are you going to do for a job now?" Narcissa asked.

"I haven't considered it to be honest Mother. I mean I know I must work, I may just go entirely crazy if I do not, but either way I'm not sure. I'm debating many things," Draco said formerly.

"Draco, I am not your father. Please do not be so formal," Narcissa requested and Draco relaxed and smiled.

"Sorry Mother," Draco smiled, his voice sounding much more relaxed now.

"So what things have you been considering?" Narcissa asked as she herself relaxed a bit.

"A career as an Auror or a career as a wizarding and occasionally muggle lawyer. I'm leaning more towards the second, but I would need some help and possibly a fair few years of experience, maybe some training with the ministry," Draco debated lightly.

"Draco Malfoy, Wizarding/Muggle Lawyer. I can see it, you would fit the part I am sure, but it would take years of set up and training."

"I am sure it would mother but I would be dedicated to getting there. Whoever would have thought that the seventh Malfoy heir would turn the entire family in a completely different direction. We have been sunk into the dark arts for the previous 4 generations have we not," Draco asked and Narcissa's mouth twisted in a grimace as she nodded. "Well it's changing, right here, and right now," Draco finished with conviction.

Narcissa stared at her son and she felt a wild happy feeling rush up through her body as she stared at the man she had raised. He sat there and the eyes that were so very much like his fathers but completely different at the same time were sparkling with excitement and his mouth was curved up into a smile, not a sneer or half grimace, but a genuine smile. He was every bit the man she wished his father could have been.

"Son, if that is your desire then I promise I shall stand by you until you reach the very end. I also wish you well with Hermione." Narcissa smiled. Then she stepped up to hug her son, who rose fluidly and wrapped his mother in his arms in a tight embrace.

"I love you mother," Draco murmured against the top of her head.

"And I love you my son," Narcissa smiled. Then she released her son and watched as he flooed away. As she settled back to think about what she was going to do for the remainder of the day now Carlos was gone, Narcissa couldn't help but feel a sense of rightness in the steps she and her son were taking.

When Draco had apparated away Hermione had turned and faced the mirror, she was hopping mad and likely to jump down anyone's throats today, and with a quick jab she reset the glamour charm on herself and ran downstairs.

"Pans, I'm back," Hermione called out as she went behind the bar. Pansy looked up from her customers and saw Hermione, disguised as Cody, rush out from behind the bar towards some customers who had just seated themselves. As she passed, Pansy glimpsed the dangerous dark glint in her eyes, woe betide anyone who got on the wrong side of Hermione for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately for Hermione, she didn't recognise the customers who had just seated themselves until she was standing at the table and looking from Neville, past Luna, past Ginny to Harry. They all sat there staring expectantly and Hermione blinked a few times before tapping her wand against the side of her throat as if absentmindedly and placed a glamour charm on her voice.

"I'm sorry sir, I'm just a tad bit distracted today," Hermione murmured as she looked at Harry, noting her voice had become a tad bit higher and less husky.

"I'll say," Ginny whispered next to him and Hermione cut her gaze to the red-head. Then to throw off her quick movement she looked between around the group and faked her excitement.

"Oh Merlin. No way!" Hermione breathed.

"What?" Harry asked as he looked confusedly at the woman who had the name tag saying Cody.

"You're Harry Potter, and Ginny Weasley, and Neville and Luna Longbottom. Oh sweet Merlin and Morgana," Hermione gushed. Then she felt Pansy at her shoulder and she turned. "Oh Mrs Zabini, I'm so sorry, I-I-I, It's Harry Potter," Hermione gushed quietly. Pansy took her arm firmly.

"Yes Cody, it is Harry Potter and his friends, but I need you to control yourself, or I will ask Amanda to take over," Pansy said sternly, although with her back to her friends, the look on her face was one of entire amusement, even though she could clearly see the rage in Hermione's eyes.

"Sorry Miss. It won't happen again," Hermione murmured. Then she lowered her eyes to the quill in her hand and prayed that Harry would not recognise it, as it was the quill Harry had bought her for Christmas. "So what can I get you?"

"Firstly you can tell me where you got that quill as its one of a kind," Harry murmured.

"Sorry?" Hermione asked as if she didn't hear him.

"Nothing, erm, a firewhisky for me please, Gin?" Harry smiled

"Same as Harry please," Ginny ordered. Harry and Ginny then broke out into the expected "you shouldn't drink strong alcohol" argument that Harry always lost.

"Can I have a butterbeer please?" Luna's dreamy voice floated. Neville stroked Luna's hand as she ordered and then turned to Hermione.

"I'll have a firewhisky please," Neville grinned. Hermione found it hard to believe but Neville was considered a sex god nowadays, ever since he had grown up and killed Nagini, Neville had skyrocketed to the top of the "men we would fuck" list in Witch Weekly, "men we would fuck" being Hermione's name for that piece of drivel, as opposed to "hottest men going" as it was actually called. Neville had however, much to Hermione's pleasure, kept a cool head on his shoulders and started dating and eventually married Luna. As all this was going through Hermione's head she was smiling and telling them she will be right back with their orders.

When Hermione returned, she placed the drinks down and hurried away, making sure she didn't leave any obvious Hermione items on show.

"Merlin Blaise that was close," Hermione gasped as she was granted entrance into the office.

"What was close?" Blaise asked. Seemingly unaware.

"Well. Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna are all out there and I'm hoping mad because of Malfoy. I don't want to see them." Hermione hissed.

"Wait, those four are here?" Blaise grinned. Hermione's eyes sparked angrily as Blaise stood up and swept out his office, rearranging her features, she followed after Blaise.

"Harry, Neville, Ginny, Luna… How are you all?" Blaise grinned widely as he saw his close friends.

"We're all good to be honest Blaise. Nev and Luna are as always just _dreamy_ and me and Gin are finally getting the _wedding plans_ over and done with," Harry answered, but Blaise couldn't help but laugh at the way Harry's voice had turned acidic over the words wedding and plans.

"It will all be done soon and you'll have your wife ready and willing at the end of it," Blaise smirked. Luna then chose this moment to lean forwards and say something entirely inappropriate.

"You see Harry, once you get her home she'll be completely different in bed and so grateful for everything you've put up with. For example, take Neville, he never ever expected that I would bite him," Luna smiled. Neville choked on the butterbeer he was drinking, while Ginny's and Harry's jaws opened in shock. Blaise stared around the table and then broke into a loud fit of laughs.

"Leave it to Luna," Hermione breathed so Blaise and only Blaise could hear her.

"Oh dear, Harry and Ginny, I think the wrackspurts have got you," Luna muttered worriedly. Blaise's laughter intensified and he sat down next to Luna and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Man I love you Luna," Blaise snickered. Neville who recovered fast enough snickered into his hand.

"Don't let Pansy hear you say that," Neville warned.

"Don't let Pansy hear you say what honey?" Pansy asked a she stepped up beside Hermione.

"Don't let Pansy hear Blaisie say he loves dear Luna over there," Hermione laughed. Then she froze as 6 sets of eyes swivelled to her at the sound of her laugh.

"Mione?" Ginny questioned, but Hermione was gone running towards to back of the inn where the private rooms were located.

Ginny was up like a shot and ran after her. Hermione noticed Ginny running and as she ran through the door that led to the private hallway she locked it with a flick of her wand and continued running down to her bedroom which she flung open and locked behind her. With the practised precision she had adopted when looking for horcruxes, Hermione waved her wand in a circle and then flicked, watching her possessions pick up from around the room and zoom into her bag. There was a rattling noise from outside the room and Hermione disapparated as the door opened.

When she opened her eyes she was standing in the office next to Blaise and Harry.

"Mione," Harry breathed, as he turned his head to call the others Hermione lunged forwards and clapped a hand over his mouth.

"I will come back Harry I promise," Hermione murmured. Then Blaise handed Hermione the bag containing her calming draughts.

"Don't forget to turn up to your appointment tomorrow, you have enough medication to last only until then," Blaise whispered then he pulled her into a hug.

"I won't," Hermione murmured as she placed the calming draughts into her bag. Just then the door opened and Ginny burst in.

"Mione please don't go. I need you at my wedding, as my maid of honour," Ginny pleaded. Hermione felt her heart tug as she stared at her best friend.

"Gin, I need to go. I will try and be back for the wedding I promise, but I can't stay. I can't hack it," Hermione whispered. Ginny ran forwards and hugged Hermione tightly before she let her go and stepped back.

"Owl us?" Ginny asked quietly. Hermione nodded and then she took a step back and disapparated, going the only place she could think of. Back to her parents' house.


	6. Hero

The house looked just the same as it had when she left it last time. The last time she had left it she thought her parents would be returning home in a few weeks, and as Hermione looked at the pictures on the mantelpiece she felt herself break. This wasn't the type of breaking that she had done when she had found out about her parents' death; this was the type of breaking where Hermione completely broke down. The shell of herself that she had become, crumbled, and every pain, every hatred, every hidden feeling that resided in the dust that was once her heart, exploded out of her in a scream as she fell to her knees.

The house had been silenced long ago and as her scream rent the air she knew no one would look for her, no one would try and drag her back from the depths of her own personal hell and she suddenly felt the desire to watch something burn. She wanted this house to go up in flames, she didn't need the reminder of her parents, and she didn't want anything to do with the muggle world that had taken her parents away from her. Stupid, over ambitious Muggles.

Standing up Hermione felt emotion and magic course through her and she whipped her wand out at the sofa she had cuddled her parents on when she watched TV and watched it explode. She then turned her wand on the curtains and watched them disintegrate as she sent a slicing charm through them. Then she turned to the pictures on her parents' wall. Disgusting, non-moving muggle photos. She stood appraising every single one of them with annoyance before she jabbed her wand them, leaving 2 photos surviving. Those photos she placed inside her beaded bag. Running from the room she made her way to her parents' room in tears.

Slowly and carefully Hermione pushed open the door, and she stepped through. As she stared around the room Hermione felt herself fall, and she battled with herself. In the last dregs of clarity in her mind caused by the calming draught, Hermione felt the overwhelming need to move on, to get past the rut she was stuck in and start to live again. Her friends were getting married, her other friends were having a baby and apparently Draco Malfoy wanted to have dinner, why she would never know, but he did. These were things to live for, but Hermione couldn't shake that scary feeling of being the one at fault.

If she hadn't been a witch, she wouldn't have gone to Hogwarts and would never have met Harry Potter, become his friend and endangered herself and her family so much so that she had to send her parents away so she could fight Voldemort. All this was her fault.

Hermione collapsed onto her parents bed and curled up in a ball there crying, not caring how long she lay there, not caring whether she died of dehydration or starvation she didn't feel like moving any time soon and no one would try and move her.

As night time fell the tears finally stopped, replaced by an empty feeling, but Hermione gathered a shred of resolve and slowly stood up off the bed and noticed that her wand was on the floor buzzing something horrid to signal the fact she was supposed to take her calming draught. Turning towards the bag that was also on the floor Hermione fished out the calming draught's she should have taken earlier in the day and was supposed to take tomorrow and went to her parents bathroom where she threw them down the sink. She didn't need them, didn't want them, and definitely was not going to rely on them. Instead she was going to go out. She was going to go out and have a bit of fun and enjoy herself.

But first she needed to remove the remainder of her belongings from the house her parents had left her.

In under an hour Hermione had packed everything she owned and they were inside her beaded bag, she was dressed up in a baby pink velvet dress that was skin tight to just shy of her mid thighs and her make-up was done to emphasise her eyes and hide the way they held no spark. Staring into her bathroom mirror Hermione pointed her wand at her hair and magically dyed it black, before straightening it with a long lasting vanity spell and adding loose curls that hung about her waist. To finish her outfit she slid on some patent black heels and flung on the leather jacket hidden in the base of her beaded clutch bag.

"Incendio," Hermione breathed as she aimed her wand at her childhood bed, then she turned her back on the flames and made her way down the corridor opening every single door on her way through. When she reached the bathroom she created a new fire that would burn through the tiles and porcelain, then she marched downstairs and out of the house, to the roaring sound of the flames.

When she reached the street Hermione apparated away to a wizarding nightclub known as _The Wicked Witch_, having no need to pay her way in or wait in line due to the fame that goes with being Hermione Granger, even if she did have Black hair. It was jam packed inside the club and Hermione had to squeeze her way through the mass of bodies all moving with the pulsating music just to get to the bar.

"Hi," A masculine voice purred as Hermione found her seat. She turned her head to appraise the man who had called her and she smiled coyly as she realised he wasn't that bad to look at. Brown hair, blue eyes, handsome face; he was no Draco Malfoy that was for sure but… Hermione stopped her thoughts cold, since when did Draco Malfoy ever become the person to set the bar on her standards.

"Hi," Hermione smiled when she got her voice back.

"Would you like a drink?" The man asked.

"Sure," Hermione said with a flirtatious smile. The man summoned the bar tender and directed him to me.

"What can I get for you my darling?" The guy on the bar asked me as he appraised my body.

"What do you suggest?" Hermione grinned as she leant forwards, allowing the square neck of her dress to gape ever so slightly. The bar tender who was actually around Hermione's own age gawped at her.

"I would recommend a Wicked Witch, if I'm honest. It would suit you," The man next to her ear purred. Hermione turned back to him and smirked.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because you have come here dressed to kill and you're addling a poor young man's brains. She'll have a Wicked Witch, I'll have a firewhisky."

"So what's your name?" Hermione asked.

"Ryan Wood, and you?" Hermione masked her shock at the fact the man didn't know who she was and the lie formulated in her mind in an instant.

"Cody Loreté. I'm from France, but moved here a year ago," Hermione lied smoothly as her drink appeared in front of her. She looked carefully at the drink and saw it was an interesting mix of silver and green, of course it would be Slytherin colours, and she raised it to her mouth and took a sip.

It was smooth like a milkshake, but fruity as if she was biting into the apple's she could taste there alongside almonds and coconut and finally there was an alcohol burn that heated her like she was a cauldron above a fire. The drink hit her harder than firewhisky and she gasped as she felt her head go light.

"Damn that is good," Hermione hissed as she tipped her head back. Ryan laughed as he downed his shot of firewhisky in one.

"Do you want to dance?" Ryan asked.

"As soon as I've finished this, I definitely will," Hermione grinned.

"Come on it's smaller than a firewhisky and I managed to knock that back," Ryan teased. Hermione snickered at the challenged and raised her drink and swallowed the rest of it in a single gulp, as soon as she felt the heat she felt the drink go straight to her head. Ryan took her hand and led her into the crushing mass of dancing bodies turned her around and pulled her flush to his body so her back was against his front.

The music was loud and throbbing and the alcohol in Hermione's system, that was possibly 3 times stronger than the alcohol in firewhisky, started to control her movements till she was dancing with and grinding against Ryan, regardless of the fact she could feel his desire growing. Ryan eventually pushed her away and pulled her back to the bar, ordered another drink for her which this time Hermione downed in one before Ryan paid and started to pull her towards the exit.

"Hey, sorry can I have a dance before you leave please miss?" A voice asked. The voice reminded Hermione of plush velvet and satin silk and she nodded as she tried to focus on her next dance partner. Ryan suddenly snapped back into action as the new man tried to pull her away.

"Sorry mate but we're just leaving," Ryan snapped.

"Not until I get my dance you're not," The man sneered. Hermione felt herself be yanked against the new man's chest and she gasped as her head swam. She was really, really drunk and she'd only had two drinks, but then Hermione had never been much of a drinker.

"Where are you taking a girl who's so drunk she can barely recognise me?" The man drawled.

"She's not that far gone mate," Ryan said defiantly.

"Oh really, you gave her a drink that's stronger than firewhisky, got your kicks dancing with her and then gave her a second with an added shot of firewhisky. This girl is not much of a drinker," The man insisted.

As Ryan started hissing out a reply, Hermione felt her awareness shift and she started to recognise the voice of the man holding her upright. Ryan tried to tug her away from the man and she suddenly felt very, very light on her feet followed by the impending feeling of being sick.

"I'm…gointafrowup…shtoppullin," Hermione slurred as she looked up. When she looked up she noticed messy white blonde hair and she knew instantly who she was clinging to.

"Hey," Draco smiled as he noticed her look of surprise.

"Hi," Hermione whispered in a small voice.

"I'm going to take you home okay," Draco said clearly as he tightened his hold on Hermione.

"Hey! You don't just cut in on someone's prize like that you dick," Ryan snarled. Draco froze as he started to move towards the exit and then so quickly Hermione wasn't sure it actually happened, Draco punched Ryan square in the jaw and then pulled Hermione to the exit as the man went down.

When the fresh air finally reached them Hermione gulped as a feeling of clarity came over her, but then Draco tightened his hold and apparated with her and as soon as the being-squeezed-through-a-tube sensation had ended Hermione felt vomit flow up her throat. Draco knew instantly that she would throw up and conjured a bag for her to be sick in. As soon as she had finished he vanished the bag and she passed out, making Draco dive to catch her.

"Sweet Merlin, when I said I was going to care for her, I didn't quite mean exactly like this," Draco groaned to himself, but he wasn't particularly bothered as he cradled the woman, bridal style, in his arms for the second time and took her to his bedroom.

Laying her under the black sheets he found an old quidditch jersey from school and some shorts he had and then magically swapped, her dress, bra and stockings for the jersey and shorts, then he changed into some shorts and climbed in next to her. He didn't touch her, he stayed as far away from her as he possibly could on the bed, but as he fell asleep he remembered feeling an intense desire to go and wrap her up in his arms.

Hermione woke up to the sound of breathing as someone tried to move her. Protesting she tightened her arms around whatever she was holding. She was warm like that and didn't want to move, especially as moving cause pain to go through her head like a jackhammer. Someone sighed deeply and Hermione then became aware of the beating sound underneath her ear that was like a heartbeat and she opened her eyes blearily.

Hermione's eyes were first met by a pale expanse of skin, with soft contours here and there, only interrupted by her own arm which she tightened around the waist of the person she now realised was a man. With a gasp Hermione closed her eyes and drew away, sitting up slowly before opening her eyes.

When she opened her eyes she was met by a shirtless Draco Malfoy who stared up at her with his grey eyes silver and sheepish. Hermione groaned into her hands and lowered her head onto her knees which she drew up.

"Two questions… One, did we sleep together last night?" Hermione whispered.

"Look down at yourself," Draco interrupted. Hermione did open her eyes to look and saw she was wearing an old Slytherin jersey and some shorts. "I didn't look at your body, I switched your clothes magically. Next question?"

"Do you have anything for this hangover?" Hermione asked. Draco chuckled and climbed out of bed.

"As a matter of fact I do," was Draco's reply, and he padded across to his bathroom and walked in, unaware that Hermione had stared at his back and arse the entire way. When he came back he was holding a vial of hangover potion and he handed it to Hermione, who took it gratefully and drank it.

When the potion had taken affect Hermione gasped as she remembered with perfect clarity what had happened last night.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered.

"What for?" Draco asked as he pulled on his seventh year Quidditch jersey.

"Well rescuing me from that dick, he would no doubt have taken advantage, erm bringing me somewhere safe, not taking advantage of me even though we're sharing a bed, and finally thank you for this," Hermione smiled as she raised the empty vial. Draco sent a dazzling smile back at her.

"Do you know how to cook?" Draco then asked. Frowning slightly as she leant back on the bed Hermione nodded.

"Yeah why?"

"Well you could make it up to me by making me breakfast," Draco suggested. Hermione laughed and rolled out of bed with a smile on her face.

"Sure I guess I could make you breakfast," Hermione grinned. Draco grinned back and led Hermione through the door, across the living room to the open kitchen.

"Since when did Draco Malfoy live in a modified Studio Flat?" Hermione mused out loud.

"Since Draco Malfoy decided he didn't want to live in Malfoy manor after handing over the company. In fact when my mother gets remarried I'm going to level the place and rebuild. I don't care how many generations of bloody Malfoy's have been living there, I hate it," Draco said quickly. Hermione looked at the beautiful man across from her slightly taken aback at his outburst but then she flicked her wand at the stereo and started to dance around the kitchen as she prepared the stuff for breakfast, effectively lightening the mood.

Draco watched the small woman dance around his kitchen as she cooked, he couldn't help but watch the way she moved her body as she danced and his eyes were almost glued to the way she moved her hips with the music, every so often throwing a glance behind her when Draco had thankfully returned his eyes to a safer area. Only Hermione knew what he was watching, she knew she shouldn't have been tempting the poor man, but this was the most fun she'd had since she had heard of her parents, then she stopped abruptly.

Her parents were dead.

Draco watched Hermione's body freeze and go stiff and then he watched her start to shake, so he got up and hugged her from behind.

"It's okay, don't bottle it inside, if you need to cry, cry. I won't be going anywhere because you are after all, in my home," Draco murmured soothingly. Hermione turned to face Draco and buried her face in his chest where she began to cry in earnest. Flicking a stasis charm over the kitchen he lifted Hermione and took her back to bed, where he tucked her in crawled in next to her and pulled her close to him, letting her cry as much as she needed to, all the while murmuring soothing words in her ear.

Hermione couldn't quite come to grips with the fact that she Hermione, 1/3rd of the Golden trio was lying in bed with Draco Malfoy and actually being comforted, but at the same time, she needed this kind of comfort, she needed to be held without hesitation and while her friends would all hug her and tell her it was alright, they would much sooner offer her a cup of tea than pull her into bed with them to comfort her comfortably while telling her they'll be there for as long as she needs them and wouldn't be going anywhere. She needed this.

Eventually Hermione's sobs developed into soft hiccups and Draco stroked her black hair, noticing it was as straight as his own.

"What did you do to your hair?" Draco murmured.

"Dyed it and straightened it with a long lasting vanity spell," Hermione whispered against Draco's shoulder.

"Why?" Draco questioned.

"I like my hair black and straight," Hermione murmured.

"You better now?" Draco asked.

"For now yes," Hermione answered then she sat up and climbed out of bed. "I was making breakfast wasn't I?" Draco grinned and followed Hermione back to the kitchen where she continued making breakfast.

When Hermione placed a plate of eggs, bacon, beans and savoury pancakes in front of him and then placed a cup of coffee next to it Draco looked up at the woman as if he was worshipping her.

"Did you cook this by hand?" Hermione looked over from the counter where she was stirring her coffee surprised by the cool tone of Draco's voice.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"Why are you not married yet?" Draco gasped. With deliberate slowness Hermione picked up her own plate and walked over to the table where she sat down opposite him and surveyed him.

"Why do you ask?" Hermione countered.

"Any man would be a fool to not try and pursue a woman who cooks like this in the morning. Gods this breakfast is perfect," Draco groaned as he swallowed a forkful of eggs.

"That makes you a fool then," Hermione grinned. Draco levelled a look at Hermione and gave her a soft smile as he shrugged. "You should do that more often," Hermione whispered.

"Do what?" Draco asked with confusion.

"Smile."

Draco and Hermione ate their food in a comfortable silence and only spoke afterwards when Draco watched Hermione brush her black hair behind her ear and turn to the property section of the Daily Prophet.

"Looking for a place?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," Hermione answered shortly.

"Why?"

"Well I destroyed my parents old home yesterday, as in, burnt it to the ground and I'm not staying with Harry and Ginny, or Luna and Neville or Pansy and Blaise simply because they're all happy couples and I don't want to intrude. And I need to run some errands today, namely going to my parents' muggle bank with their wills and transferring their assets to me, then transferring some of the money from my account to Gringotts," Hermione muttered.

"You have a Gringotts account?" Draco asked, his voice ever so slightly betraying the shock he felt.

"Yep, the ministry opened one for me after the war, they put my reward in it," Hermione smiled as she leant back. "Surprised?"

"Just a tad," Draco smirked. Hermione simply shrugged and turned the page roughly. "Hey be careful... Look, don't rush things, if you want you can stay here with me until you feel like you've got your feet properly underneath you," Draco smiled.

"And when can I be said to have my feet properly underneath me Draco?" Hermione asked. Then she gawped at the man in question almost mirroring his expression.

"Did you just call me Draco?" Draco asked, getting his composure back quicker than Hermione. Hermione suddenly snapped to attention and she composed herself enough to look cool, calm and collected.

"Yeah, only returning the favour, since we're on first name basis and all," Hermione said as a nonchalant answer. Draco's mind was reeling under the shock of her saying his name, he loved the way it sounded on her lips, so soft and sweet and then remembered Hermione's question.

"When you have a job, when you no longer cry at the drop of a hat, when that spark returns to your eyes completely," Draco then answered. Hermione looked at the man in front of her and simply shrugged; faking a feeling of indifference when she was in truth absolutely thrilled that he cared enough to let her stay.


	7. Former Enemy Turned Friend

By the end of the day Hermione was positively drained, she just wanted to go to sleep in fact, but she was going for dinner with Draco at The Three Broomsticks disguised as a blonde girl with blue eyes.

"I don't see why you feel the need to hide from your friends?" Draco asked quietly.

"I'm not hiding from my friends. Could you imagine the field day the reporters would have if I was spotted having dinner with you. Now I'm not ashamed to have dinner with you but I really do not need the reporters dogging me at the minute because they could dig up something personal, such as my mental state," Hermione hissed back to Draco as they sat in a small booth and waited for Pansy and Blaise to join them.

"Draco," Pansy cried as she appeared. Draco stood up in a fluid movement and embraced Pansy before embracing Blaise.

"Twice in two days, Draco, anyone would think that The Three Broomsticks is your favourite place to dine," Blaise mocked. "You'll have the reporters all over you, and sweet Salazar you have a woman with you."

"Blaise honey?" Pansy called.

"Yes my lovely?" Blaise answered.

"Shut the fuck up," Pansy answered simply and Draco started laughing while Hermione gave a wide smile.

"Blaise, Pansy, let me introduce you to my dinner partner. Miss Hermione Granger," Draco whispered. Pansy and Blaise looked wide eyed at Hermione and she could tell that they were replacing the blonde hair with brown and the blue eyes with milk chocolate.

"Mione. How're you?" Pansy whispered as she slipped into the booth next to Hermione.

"I'm okay. We decided I'm staying with Draco this morning after he rescued me from The Wicked Witch," Hermione smiled. Draco had sat down already and Blaise sat there next to him.

"What were you doing at The Wicked Witch?" Blaise asked.

"Getting drunk and dancing with total strangers," Draco scowled.

"Hey!" Hermione protested as Pansy and Blaise looked at Hermione shocked.

"Well you were, I saw you turn up, I watched you flirt and then drink, dance, drink and almost leave," Draco complained as he looked at Hermione.

"It was never my idea to drink so much, or dance, or leave for that matter," Hermione protested, her voice getting hissy as she leant forwards towards Draco in anger.

"No, but you're fuckin' lucky I was there," Draco cursed. Hermione scowled at Draco, biting the inside of her cheeks to stop from saying something scathing until she came up with a decent reply.

"I thought I thanked you for that this morning?" Hermione finally asked. The ways he pitched the question sounded seductive at its worst and when Blaise started laughing, Draco growled under his breath.

"You cooked me breakfast," Draco protested.

"And you practically came over it," Hermione retorted. Now Pansy and Blaise were laughing and Draco was fuming as was Hermione.

"That's below the belt," Draco whined. Hermione just snickered as she made the connection between what she had just said and what Draco replied with.

"Stop whining," Hermione them replied. Draco glowered at Hermione and was infuriated with her when she simply sat back, crossed her arms and legs and smirked at him.

"Guys," Blaise called. "Maybe you should order, eat, and then sort out your differences at home."

"Good idea Blaise," Hermione smiled.

"So what are you having?" Pansy grinned. She couldn't help but find the squabble between her two friends absolutely hilarious, even if it was charged with sexual tension on Draco's side.

"Chicken Lasagne, it's my absolute favourite with a butterbeer," Hermione smiled. Pansy wrote down Hermione's order with a smile and then turned to Draco to order.

"Wait let me guess Chicken Lasagne with a small mead," Pansy smirked, Draco nodded mutely and Pansy smiled as she walked away.

"How'd Pans know what you'd order?" Hermione asked.

"Chicken Lasagne is _my_ favourite," Draco grinned.

Dinner between Hermione and Draco was a quiet affair spent in comfortable silence until they were finished when Hermione offered to pay for her half but Draco vehemently refused.

"Why not?" Hermione asked when Draco called Blaise over.

"Because I just said, let me pay," Draco argued.

"Oh for crying out loud, anyone would think we still lived in the Middle Ages," Hermione snapped.

"Sorry but that's the way I was raised," Draco growled.

"Well it's not surprising since the Malfoy's are ancient anyways," Hermione smirked. Draco glowered as Blaise got to the table. Draco didn't even consider Hermione as he took out the money for their meal and placed it in his hand. "Draco!" Hermione whisper yelled. She was seething now and as Blaise was sent away he worried for his best mate, he was clearly looking to be hexed by a very angry, very talented, Hermione Granger.

"What?" Draco replied nonchalantly as Hermione rose and pulled on her coat. Draco just sat there staring at her before Hermione walked away out of The Three Broomsticks and apparated to Draco's flat. "What a fine way to start our first day of living together," Draco smirked. He was glad he had the extra room sorted out because that meant Hermione could rage in her own space. Taking his time to finish his drink Draco then stood up, walked outside and apparated home. And when he got there he found the home dark and quiet with no sign of Hermione Granger anywhere.

"You prat," Hermione hissed and Draco turned around to find her in pyjama shorts and a purple tee-shirt, standing in his doorway. The sight of her with her black hair hanging around her face, angry brown eyes and her pyjama's over pale creamy skin made desire flood through Draco's body and he swallowed loudly.

"What?" Draco asked defiantly as he took steps back away from her, he knew that look; she was about an inch from smacking him again.

"Ugh you really are a prat Malfoy," Hermione sneered as she walked closer and crossed her arms over her sizable chest.

"No, you're just too independent for your own good," Draco retorted as he tried to keep his eyes away from her body and on those very angry eyes.

"Since when did being independent be a bad thing?" Hermione asked.

"Since I wanted to treat you nicely," Draco growled as Hermione stepped closer to him almost backing him up against the wall.

"I don't need to be treated nicely," Hermione growled back, pouting a bit this time so her lower lip jutted out, and all Draco wanted to do was walk forwards and bite that lip so softly.

"I didn't say you need to I said I wanted to," Draco answered ever so slightly breathless. Hermione frowned at him and tilted her head to the side ever so slightly as her brown eyes cooled. Moved by a sudden stab of desire Draco pushed off the wall he was stood against, took two quick strides across the room, grabbed Hermione's waist and lowered his lips to meet hers.

Hermione froze for a second for reason kick in in retaliation to Draco's lips on hers, but then a second later she felt as if she was melting and she put her arms around his neck pulled herself tight to him, leaning up on her tip toes to shorten the distance he had to lean down, as he was at least a foot taller than her at 6"3 ish.

Hesitantly, as if fearing rejection, Draco ran his tongue along Hermione's lower lip and without thinking about it Hermione opened up to him, allowing their battle for dominance to continue with their tongues. As they kissed every rational thought in Hermione's head faded as the cherry, smoke and musk scent of the man in her arms flooded and overwhelmed her senses until she needed air. Hermione pulled away to breathe and without missing a beat or giving her time to correct her thoughts, Draco lowered his mouth to her neck and jaw, kissing up her neck to the point just behind her jaw, underneath her ear. When his lips hit that point Hermione felt her head tip back and she moaned.

Yet the sound of pleasure from Hermione was all it took to break the trance she was in and she pushed back and away from Draco quickly and without looking at him she turned away and bolted to the other room. Cursing himself for his stupidity Draco flopped down onto the couch and willed his body to calm down and cooperate, when it didn't he then settled for remembering all the times Pansy had forced herself on him and he hadn't wanted her, which worked a treat.

Hermione didn't look like she would be surfacing any time soon so Draco stood up and walked over to the fire.

"The Three Broomsticks, Blaise's office," Draco called and he threw the floor powder. The green flames engulfed him and suddenly he was spinning away.

"Draco?" Blaise questioned as he looked up from his work.

"Hey Blaise, you got a minute for an old friend with woman troubles?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"Remember how you said you felt like an anti-social old guy. Well now you sound like one. But yes I do have a minute, let me guess it has something to do with Hermione," Blaise said with a slight smirk to his almost black eyes.

"Well done, 50 points to Slytherin…" Draco said sarcastically. Blaise looked at his mate with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Well, what happened?"

"We were squabbling, and then I dunno she just looked so cute with her black hair everywhere and soft pyjamas on, with an angry look in her eyes… I kissed her Blaise," Draco groaned into his hands.

"And kissing her is a bad thing because?" Blaise asked.

"Because I offered her a room at my flat for a while so she could get better, not so I could get into bed with her, and I'm meant to be helping her and thinking about her not my own selfish wants." Draco said, still groaning into his hands.

"I don't see the problem. Did she kiss you back?"

"Yeah, then she pushed me away."

"How long after you kissed her did she push you away?"

"After we broke apart to breathe and I kissed her neck."

"Sweet Salazar can you guys be any more like teenage girls. You're analysing every damn thing the girl did. You kissed her, she kissed back and then she pulled away. She's confused. Although Draco I would advise not kissing her till she starts it next time," Pansy sighed from the doorway.

When Draco returned home after an hour he yawned and walked to his bed only to be met by Hermione sat there fully clothed.

"Are you going out?" Draco asked as he leant on the doorframe.

"Yeah," Hermione answered as she shook her hair back from her face.

"Where?"

"St Mungo's, I have an appointment," Hermione replied quietly.

"For your medicines?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded calmly and then Draco watched her wand buzz. "I thought you turned that off?"

"I did, it's buzzing to tell me about my appointment."

"Have you needed to take any of your draughts today?"

"Needed to yes, actually taken any no, why because I threw them down the sink. I don't want them, I don't need them," Hermione replied defiantly as she stood up and raised her chin.

"Do you want me to keep you company when you go to hospital?" Draco asked.

"If you want to come then come," Hermione smiled shyly before she crossed to the fireplace and flooed away.

Hermione emerged in the lobby of St Mungo's and made her way over to the front desk where Lavender was on duty as the welcome witch.

"Hi I have an appointment," Hermione murmured. Lavender looked up and narrowed her eyes when she saw it was Hermione, Lavender hadn't had much patience for the girl in front of her since Ron accidentally broke up with her in 6th year, then the narrowed eyes were gone and she was tapping away on the keyboard. With a friendly smile that Hermione knew was fake Lavender handed Hermione a small slip of paper with the room number and healer name on it. As Hermione went to turn away she saw Lavender's mouth drop open and Hermione frowned before backing away into a hard chest.

"So you decided to come after all," Hermione smiled as she felt arms snake around her waist.

"Wouldn't miss it sweetie," Draco smiled. Hermione laughed and untangled herself from his arms.

"Would you please behave? What happened to Mr Moody Pants from 2 minutes ago?" Hermione snickered as she set off walking.

"Mr Moody Pants was reacting to Mrs Moody Pants over here, but decided to play a game with the air head considering she was a bitch to you over Weasley," Draco smirked.

"What kind of game?" Hermione asked as she found the correct door.

"The kind of game where I make her insanely jealous by making you mine, even if it's just pretence," Draco laughed softly as the door opened. Hermione shook her head then and laughed.

"Miss Granger, I don't think I introduced myself last time, but I am Healer Karris. I see you are feeling much better?" The woman smiled as she opened the door.

"Marginally," Hermione answered as she took a seat next to the healer's desk.

"Could this be due to your boyfriend?" Healer Karris asked. Both Hermione and Draco stared at Healer Karris as if she'd grown legs out of the top of her head.

"He's not my boyfriend. More like former enemy turned friend. Yes he's supporting me at the minute and I am living with him till I'm back on my feet but we're not involved romantically," Hermione said quickly. As she spoke she couldn't help but remember the feel of his lips on hers 2 hours previous to the conversation and she blushed slightly.

"You are not romantically involved?"

"No, she's more like an annoying little sister," Draco smirked.

"Little… I believe you are the younger one here," Hermione snickered.

"Me? Hey I'm not the one who's practically 5 foot nothing," Draco retorted.

"Shut up, you prat, sometimes it pays to be small and dainty that a great giant of a man," Hermione muttered, then she turned her attention from the insulted face of Draco and onto the amused face of the healer.

"Okay so Hermione how was your first day with the calming draughts?"

"I used three. I threw the rest away, I went through today without them. I don't need them and I don't want to be reliant on them. The stupors don't happen if I breakdown when I need to," Hermione stated firmly.

"And how did today go without them?" Healer Karris asked.

"It was fine, not too difficult in terms of dealing with stuff, I only needed them once and that's cause he was being a prat," Hermione answered honestly. Draco looked up from the floor to the side of Hermione's face and he was glad she was looking at the healer because the look that crossed his face was one of pain and sadness. He'd promised himself not to hurt her and just by being a prat he had made her want a calming draught.

Draco tuned out after that, the healer asked questions Hermione gave answers to and her responses were monitored, but when Hermione came back out she was a mess, pulling all the details about her parents could not have been easy. As they walked down to the lobby Draco felt shaking fingers on his wrist and he really looked at the beautiful girl next to him.

Hermione was silently crying, silently begging him to comfort her with her eyes but as Draco pulled Hermione close to him and let her sob against him a reporter popped up out of nowhere and took a photo. Draco had never ever seen Hermione move so fast, because one minute she was in his arms the next she was standing with her wand straight out towards the frozen photographer.

"You dare print that picture with some foul villainous story to go with it and I swear to Merlin I will hex you so hard that your great grandchildren will still have boils," Hermione snarled. The photographer nodded as he stared at Hermione in fear and then Draco took her wrist and pulled her away.

"Hermione?" Draco questioned quietly.

"Take me home please," Hermione whispered as she curled herself into Draco's embrace and buried her face against his chest. Draco rubbed her back comfortingly then tightened his hold on her and apparated out of the place.

As soon as their feet touched the floor of his flat Hermione broke down and fell limp in Draco's arms. Lowering them to the floor Draco pulled Hermione into his lap and hugged her tightly as she cried. This was the hardest she had cried in his arms and Draco could feel his heart breaking at the very sound of her harsh sobs. Then there was a pause and Hermione leant up in his arms and pressed her mouth to his. This time it was Draco who froze as their lips met, but then the enticing feel Hermione's mouth moving against his own gave him control of his body and he began to kiss her back. On her lips he could taste the salt from her tears but also taste something that was uniquely Hermione sweet as sugar and warm like hot chocolate, but the salt he could taste gave him a sane head so as she tried to deepen the kiss Draco kept it soft and simple. With a frustrated noise of annoyance Hermione moved back away from him.

"Kiss me!" Hermione pleaded. Draco's heart jumped in his chest as he wanted to do nothing more than that and when Hermione leant back in he kissed her again, keeping himself on a tight leash so he didn't deepen a kiss he shouldn't even have. "Dammit, kiss me properly, I know you want to!" Hermione growled as she pulled away and started to kiss a sensitive spot on his neck that he didn't even know existed.

"Hermione no," Draco whispered. Hermione growled as she continued to kiss that spot when she felt Draco shudder. He wanted her so much, and he raised his hand to her face ready to pull her lips back to his but… "No," Draco said loudly this time as he pushed Hermione away from him.

"Draco?" Hermione gasped quietly before she started to cry again. "You don't…?"

"Hermione it's not that, you shouldn't do this now, not when you're so vulnerable," Draco whispered as he looked her in her watery eyes.

"I'm sorry," Hermione bawled as she threw her arms around his neck and cried against his shoulder.

"Merlin woman, there is nothing to apologise for. Shit…just come to bed," Draco groaned as he manoeuvred Hermione off his lap and stood up, pulling her up also then pulling his bedroom.

Draco found her pyjamas on the bed and he switched her clothes magically before tucking her into bed, then he pulled on a pair of shorts over his boxers and crawled into bed beside Hermione. Fearing rejection, Draco stretched out his arm slowly and hooked it around Hermione's waist but when she didn't shrug him off he pulled her closer to his body.

Hermione woke up in the morning and tried to roll onto her back, but encountered something that was both soft and solid while warm. Looking over her shoulder she could see nothing but the pale white, muscular shoulder of the person behind her and as her memory caught up to her thoughts she remembered last night. With a fierce blush and a sudden feeling of shame and disgust Hermione pulled away from Draco as a sob made its way out of her throat. Unfortunately the noise and the sudden rough movement of his arm almost being tugged out of his socket woke Draco and Hermione found herself regretfully meeting the soft grey eyes that in the morning were liquid silver.

"Morning," Draco sighed. Hermione just stared at the man in front of her as if he was from another planet, what kind of man wakes up in the morning after dealing with her crazy antics all night and just says_ morning?_ So Hermione opened her mouth.

"How can you just say morning after last night?" Hermione whispered. Draco sat up and tried to meet her eyes, but she avoided him like an expert.

"Why wouldn't I?" Draco asked.

"I, I was a nuisance last night, I made a fool out of myself, I annoyed you, I was a pain in the ass, and you just say _morning_." Hermione rushed. Draco let out an amused chuckle and Hermione felt a large hand cup her chin then lift her head to force her to look into Draco's eyes.

"You weren't a nuisance, you didn't annoy me, I was an equal pain in the ass and you didn't make a fool out of yourself so yes I said morning," Draco answered. Hermione's mouth dropped open as she stared at the breath-taking man in front of her.

"But I did, I forced a kiss on you and you rejected me," Hermione whispered, her lower lip trembling as she remembered the feel of being pushed away. Draco who saw another onslaught of tears quickly found a way to divert the crying jag.

"I pushed you away because I don't think you would be too happy if you woke up this morning and realised we slept together. You're vulnerable at the minute and I don't want to take advantage of that, if we had continued that kiss, I would have inadvertently done so and I won't do that to you Hermione," Draco murmured sincerely. "Now, I shall make breakfast this morning, show you how a real man cooks." Draco puffed out his chest proudly then climbed out of bed. Hermione giggled weakly and Draco relaxed.

"You pushed me away for me?"

"Yes I did, now out of bed, in the shower, get dressed, when you're done, breakfast shall be also," Draco smiled as he pushed Hermione lightly.

With a glare Hermione climbed off the bed and grabbed her beaded purse of the bedside table before heading to the bathroom. Draco sighed and flopped back against his pillows as he heard Hermione move around the bathroom, then with trepidation he crawled out of bed and padded out the room and across the main room to the kitchen area.

Within 10 minutes Draco had cooked breakfast the magical way and Hermione had a plate of food and a coffee waiting in her space with a warming charm on it while Draco waited patiently for 20 more minutes for Hermione to join him so he himself could eat. It was bad manners to start your meal without a guest, and even if he wasn't living at Malfoy manor, eating before the guest was a rule his mother had instilled on him, he would not disobey his mother, Lucius' rules mainly went unacknowledged nowadays.

"Draco, why didn't you start eating?" Hermione asked as she emerged from the bedroom and sat down opposite him.

"It's polite to wait for your guest," Draco answered formally. Hermione raised an eyebrow before looking down at her food.

Draco had made an omelette with toast and a few beans on the side and Hermione had to admit she was impressed by not only the presentation but the taste.

"Gods why aren't you married?" Hermione mimicked. Draco smirked at her and then sat back and pondered her question with a long pale finger touched to the corner of his mouth.

"Never found the right woman, I want someone who can give me a challenge day in day out, someone intelligent but not boring with it," Draco smiled as he listed a few things that he wanted in a future wife. Hermione made a face.

"What happened to her needing to be pureblood?"

"I gave up on blood status when my father went to Azkaban," Draco said shortly.

"Draco, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked as she swallowed a mouthful of food.

"If you ask your question, I can ask one about you," Draco warned. Hermione made another face then dropped her eyes to her food.

"It doesn't matter."

"If you want to ask me a question ask it," Draco sighed.

"I don't want to answer," Hermione murmured as she swallowed another bite of her food.

Draco tried to get Hermione to talk for the remainder of breakfast but she refused to even acknowledge he was there and Draco was kicking himself for being so stupid. What question did he have in mind anyway? Nothing that's what, so with a sour expression he watched Hermione walk over to his couch sit down and turn on his TV. Since when did Hermione watch TV?

"Since when did you watch TV?" Draco asked.

"Most normal people watch TV nowadays Draco," Hermione murmured.

"Since when were you, brightest witch of our age, ever normal, and I do not mean that in a bad way. Not being normal is good," Draco said hurriedly.

"Since I decided to be now can we cut the questions?" Hermione snapped.

"One more?" Draco pleaded as he came  
to stand behind her.

"One more," Hermione granted.

"Why are you not reading a book?" Draco asked.

"Because I don't want to, books are boring," Hermione whispered. At this Draco bit his lip to hide a gasp and felt a violent shudder ripple through him instead.

"I'm going out, I'll be back in a bit," Draco said, trying to keep his voice normal, then he apparated to the Three Broomsticks and from there he flooed to Harry Potter's.


	8. Stupid!

"Malfoy what the hell are you doing here?" Ginny snarled as she tightened her grip on her already raised wand. Draco eyed the wand in Ginny's hand with trepidation before he swallowed his pride.

"Ginny, I need to speak to Harry," Draco managed to choke out.

"Why?" Ginny asked sharply, although Draco could tell that she was a bit surprised with use of first names.

"It's about Hermione," Draco then said calmly. The effect that Hermione's name had on Ginny was shocking and she left Draco alone in Harry's living room wondering where the red headed woman had gone to.

Moments later Ginny came back, towing Harry with her.

"Malfoy?" Harry exclaimed, thoroughly surprised to see Draco Malfoy in his living room. "What are you doing here, and how did you get in?" Harry asked.

"I flooed in," Draco answered.

"You can't just floo in you have to be le-. Ginny did you let him in?" Harry asked. Ginny looked back at Harry with a sheepish expression on her face.

"I wanted to know why he was here, if we barred him we would never know, and he has some info on Hermione," Ginny said, speaking quickly so Harry didn't cut over her.

"You know where Hermione is?" Harry gasped.

"Shit she didn't tell you?" Draco gasped, and then he hung his head in his hands and groaned very unmalfoyishly into his palms.

"Didn't tell us what?" Harry asked with a warning tone to his voice.

"Hermione's stayed with me the past two days and she's agreed to stay there for the foreseeable future until she's back on her feet," Draco said in a rush. Ginny however was as sharp eared as Hermione and she glared at the blond boy in front of her.

"Hermione has stayed and is staying where?" Ginny growled dangerously.

"Gin, don't shoot the messenger," Harry warned.

"I'm not going to. I'm going to bloody shoot the person who sent the messenger. She promised to write Harry, promised to, Hermione doesn't break her promises. Hermione does not disappear and go and live at an old enemy's place while her parents' house burnt down to the ground. That's not Hermione Harry," Ginny moaned, matching Draco's stance to the letter.

"Hermione burnt down her parents' house and since when did Hermione watch TV?" Draco asked, as he raised his head from his hands.

"Since she was a child, she is muggleborn," Ginny scoffed.

"Since when has Hermione opted for watching TV as opposed to reading a book?" Draco questioned quietly. Ginny stared aghast at Draco while Harry seemed to be catching up.

"Wait, _Hermione_ burnt down her parents' house?" Harry gasped.

"Yes." Draco answered shortly.

"And our Hermione opted for TV as opposed to a book?" Harry gasped again.

"Keep up Potter," Draco then moaned.

"Hey don't _Potter_ him Malfoy," Ginny growled.

"You're right, sorry Harry. Actually I…er…thanks for saving my ass a year ago, and to both of you I'm sorry for the way I acted when we were at school. But we're meant to be adults now so what do you say Harry?" Draco said smoothly as he held out his hand.

Harry stared at Draco with his mouth open while he looked between his hand and his face, until Ginny nudged him and told him to close his mouth. Snapping out of whatever state of confusion he was in Harry stretched out his own hand and shook Draco's giving a tentative smile as he did so.

"Both adults now…Draco," Harry reiterated. Draco gave a nod and a ghost of a smile crossed his face.

"Now you two have sorted out your issues, can we please go back to the matter at hand, remember Hermione, about 5ft 3", bushy hair, used to love books?" Ginny smirked. Draco nodded and then crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't know what to do," Draco then shrugged.

"And you think we do?" Harry asked. Draco shrugged and frowned down at the floor.

"You probably have a better chance than I do at guessing," Draco answered.

"Can we come round for dinner?" Ginny asked. Harry looked at Ginny quite alarmed and Draco matched his shocked expression.

"If it was just me at my flat then yes, but er Ginny Hermione is also at my place remember. As bad as it sounds, she ran away from you. If you're going to come over then I have to run it past her first," Draco murmured quickly. Ginny swelled up as if she was going to shout at him but Harry put a comforting arm around her waist.

"Gin, he's right. Draco ask Hermione and get back to us. Try and get her away from the TV with anything," Harry said quietly. Draco nodded and then walked back to the fire and flooed home.

"Hermione, are you here?" Hermione heard Draco call and she giggled lightly as she took in the strange colour of the floor.

"In here," Hermione then answered. She heard footsteps and then Draco was standing in the doorway looking absolutely gorgeous with those shiny silver eyes of his. In fact Draco himself was shining and Hermione closed her eyes to block the glare. As she did so she heard a hiss of something between rage and shock come from Draco.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Draco yelled. Hermione gasped and her eyes flew open as she searched through the empty vials for a full vial of calming draught. Finding one, she raised it to her mouth but a few quick steps and Draco had pulled her hand away from her mouth and had her chin in his hand and making her look at him.

"Get off Draco," Hermione whined childishly, when Draco tightened his grip on her face Hermione tried to pull away weakly.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Draco hissed with his anger clear in his cold grey eyes.

"Being happy," Hermione said in a sing song voice.

"How many of those have you had?" Draco growled.

"I dunno 6 or 7 in as long as you've been gone," Hermione pouted. Draco's eyes opened wide and Hermione could see his shock clearly even through the haze caused by the calming draught overdose.

"You do realise you've had more than you should have in a day in less than half an hour," Draco gasped.

"Really?" Hermione giggled.

"It's not funny," Draco growled as his hand tightened convulsively on Hermione's chin. Hermione stopped giggling as she stared into the cold grey of Draco's eyes and then she felt the rising urge to vomit and she pushed away from Draco and staggered to the bathroom where she quickly emptied her stomach while Draco gathered her hair. As she vomited she felt a sudden light headedness come over her and then she blacked out.

Draco moved faster than he could remember moving as he saw Hermione slipping and he caught her in his arms and noticed she'd passed out.

"Fuck," Draco gasped then he stood up and apparated to St Mungo's, where thankfully the welcome witch was not Lavender Brown, and Hermione was taken to see a healer quickly and without fuss. Yet as soon as they checked a few of her vitals she was ushered somewhere urgently and Draco was forced to wait outside without being told what was happening, so Draco flooed to Potter's again.

"Weasley! Potter! You guys need to come to the hospital, Hermione passed out, I'm going back now," Draco called as he stepped out of the fireplace. As soon as he spoke, the two people he'd called came running and he flooed back to St Mungo's where he waited for them to appear.

"Malfoy what happened?" Ginny hissed as she stepped next to Draco having gone first.

"I'll tell you both when we're somewhere private," Draco hissed as he noticed a fair few reporters standing around with a seemingly uninterested air but Draco knew that to be false. Harry and Ginny, having also realised the fact, nodded solemnly and followed Draco through the hospital to Hermione's room which they found to be empty.

"Inside and I'll tell you," Draco murmured. Harry and Ginny walked in and with a quick check down the hall Draco shut the door and cast a muffliato on the room.

"Right well explain. How did this all start?" Ginny asked, jumping straight to the point.

"I saw her on Tuesday around lunch and she was all shaky and crap I stayed with her for most the day because she asked me to stay, we argued and I asked her to dinner which she refused. The same night I went out and just by chance I ran into Hermione and Gods she was drunk. There was this random guy giving her drinks and he was trying to leave with her so I stepped in and saved her and then took her back to mine," Draco rattled off then he hesitated, should he tell Hermione's best friends that they had been sleeping in the same bed and kissed, or should he leave that out? Almost as quickly as the question appeared it was gone and leaving out anything would certainly not hold well with Potter and Weasley.

"What did you do to the guy?" Ginny asked as she flexed the fingers of her wand hand in anger.

"Punched him in the face, probably knocked him out cause he went down, but I didn't stick around to wait I pulled Hermione out of there."

"What happened when you got to yours?" Harry asked with his jaw tense.

"She threw up and passed out so I put her in my bed and slept at the other side. I woke up with her head on my chest and her arm around my waist, she made breakfast and we had a pleasant morning, she was looking at houses and flats and I just told her that she could stay with me until she was back on her feet."

"Wait you slept in the same bed?" Harry gasped.

"Well I wasn't staying on the couch Po- Harry, nor was I sleeping on the floor, the bed was big enough for the two of us with space left for both you and Ginny comfortably would you believe.

"What happened in the day?" Ginny asked.

"She ran some errands and came home so I took her to The Three Broomsticks for dinner cause she was too tired to cook and I was feeling lazy, and she glamour charmed her hair and eyes so she wasn't recognisable, oh by the way she dyed her hair black and straightened it with a long lasting vanity spell." Both Harry and Ginny let out audible gasps as they thought of what their friend had done to her hair, but Draco paused with an eyebrow raised and an annoyed expression on his handsome face and they quietened and paid attention. "We argued again over who would pay the bill and when I got home we argued some more and I kissed her."

"You did WHAT?" Harry yelled while Ginny's eyes opened wide.

"I kissed her. I didn't mean to, it was just one minute I was arguing with her, the next I dunno," Draco whispered.

"We'll talk about this once you're done with your story," Harry growled.

"Yes well, she pushed away and I went to speak to Blaise and Pans, when I got home I found Hermione dressed for her appointment, which shook her up. When we got home she started crying and she kissed me, I responded but kept things innocent which she wasn't too impressed with. I then took her to bed and fell asleep with her this time. This morning she was upset cause she thought she'd embarrassed herself, I told her she didn't we had breakfast, then she told me books were boring and I came to see you guys. When I got home I found her overdosed on Calming Draughts on my bedroom floor, that's how she ended up here. She said she had 6 or 7 in the space of half an hour," Draco explained.

Both Harry and Ginny were silent for a few minutes as they processed the entire sorry story and then both turned annoyed, almost furious eyes on Draco and he mentally cowered while physically kept his posture soft, but strong at the same time.

"_You_ kissed _Hermione_?" Ginny growled and Harry narrowed his eyes at the blond man in front of him. Draco nodded mutely.

"Why?" Harry asked after a fair few seconds of thought.

"Because, she's beautiful even when she's angry, she's intelligent, witty, stubborn and fierce, pretty damn powerful and scary as shit. She's just… I can't explain, but I kissed her," Draco said with strength in his voice. Harry and Ginny just stared in a state of shock at the man in front of them; he was different from the boy they remembered at school. He still had a hint of arrogance about him, which came with being a rich pureblood, but gone was the spiteful, selfish little coward that used to strut around Hogwarts and insult everyone and everything in sight. In his place was a strong man, sure of himself but not sure of his goals, willing to see past face value, blood status and cost to true values in life.

"If you two don't close your mouth's you will catch flies," Draco snickered, they were interrupted then by the door opening and a bed floating through into the room, accompanied by 2 Healers. Ginny removed the muffliato spell and pulled the men back against the wall to watch and wait until the healers turned to face them.

"What happened?" Draco asked worriedly.

"She overdosed on Calming Draught and her heart and lungs stopped working," A healer said quick and succinct.

"Her heart…" Draco gasped. Ginny grabbed hold of Harry's hand while Draco's own hands crossed across his body and he dug his nails into the sides of his ribs as he bit his lip.

"Luckily you got her here quickly and we brought her organs back. She will however be very weak for a while and I would suggest not taking any Calming Draughts for at least 2 weeks," The healer concluded.

Draco let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding and released the death grip he had on his rib cage.

"She'll be alright though?" Draco asked.

"Yes, now as I believe, she's been submitted for depression with Healer Karris?" The Healer asked. Draco nodded mutely. "Well I shall ask her to be sent down to see Hermione when she is awake," The healer finished then he and his colleague left the room.

While Ginny and Harry moved instantly to Hermione's side Draco stayed against the wall, not wishing to intrude.

"Draco, come over," Harry called softly as he looked up and saw the saddened face of the man who had saved his best friends life.

"Nah, I'll let you two have your time with her, I'm going to get a coffee," Draco whispered then he disappeared out of the door with his heart hammering.

When Draco finally had his coffee he wrapped his hands around the warm mug and stared into the brown depths of it trying to make sense of his thoughts. Why did he feel so strongly for Hermione Granger? He had seen her for the first time just 3 days ago, and he worried about her to the point of not feeling completely whole when she was whisked away. The thought of Hermione's heart and lung's stopping had his own heart thumping in his throat and his lungs gasping for air. The girl he had held in his arms the night before was quickly worming her way into a place Draco kept open for only his mother. Yes he had decided he wanted to care for her but that was just caring on a friendly level, but somehow his mother had mentioned lover and that was all he could think about being to Hermione. Draco knew that Hermione didn't need a lover yet, she was too vulnerable to comfortably manage the emotions of having someone to love, but that was all he could think about.

"Penny for your thoughts Draco," A deep voice murmured and Draco looked up to see Harry sat there across from him, clutching his own coffee.

"My thoughts are useless," Draco growled as he raised his coffee to his lips.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"My thoughts are a jumbled mess in my head, I can't focus on anything other than what's happening with that woman," Draco murmured quietly. Harry chuckled softly. "Something funny?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope, I just know the exact feeling…Why so jumbled though?" Harry answered.

"The kisses, holding her at night, the way I know she's vulnerable and doesn't need a boyfriend, yet being her boyfriend and loving her is all I can seem to think about," Draco groaned.

"When did this happen Draco?" Harry asked quietly. Draco looked up at the raven haired man in front of him that was his exact opposite.

"I started caring for her when you were captured. Her…her…her screams, they haunted me for months. I vowed when the war was finished, to never ever stand by and watch a woman undergo that much pain or experience that amount of fear. So long as I could act, I would. Then I saw her in disguise and I thought she looked like who she really was but without the confidence, the sparkle of intelligence, without the essence that makes her who she is. But when she asked to meet me I saw fear, real honest fear in her eyes, not because she thought she was going to die, but because she had already died and thought she had no way back. It was the type of feeling a Dementor leaves. When I looked her dead in the eye, I felt like I would never be happy again, I wanted to break down right there and then and cry, but of course, Malfoy bravado always gets me through ay," Draco explained, ending on a chuckle as he raised his mug and drank more of his hot drink, then he looked at Harry.

"There's more isn't there?" Harry asked and Draco waited a few seconds before nodding.

"When she asked me to stay, there was this dull and dead look to her eyes and it made me promise to myself that I wouldn't stay in the background anymore, I wouldn't cower away in fear, I would stand up and be a man for that woman. The first time we kissed was something amazing too…What do I do Harry, because I have fallen hard for this woman," Draco almost whispered.

Harry took in the man before him with a small smile as he waited for an answer to strike him.

"Put her back together again. Give her a purpose, give her a job, give her her life back. Do all that and more and you'll be able to move on your feelings. Don't act on your feelings until you are sure she's not vulnerable, and I say when you are sure and not when she is sure because that woman is as stubborn as they come and will not admit to being vulnerable even if it meant putting up with something unbearable for a long period of time," Harry murmured calmly. "Now are we going to see if she's awake?"

"Yeah sure," Draco smiled before he drained the last of his drink and placed his empty mug on the table and following after Harry to Hermione's hospital room.

When they arrived at the room they found Ginny holding Hermione tightly in her arms while Hermione cried. Ginny had tears tracking down her face and Draco moved forwards quietly and tapped the red-head on the shoulder. Ginny let go of Hermione who looked up at Draco and started crying harder. Draco horrified, sat down on the bed next to Hermione and pulled her tightly into his arms and let her cry.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered.

"No need to be, I'm sorry for leaving you alone," Draco whispered back as he rested his cheek on the top of her head, Hermione was silent for a fair few minutes except for the occasional sob then she raised her head and eyes to stare into Draco's own grey eyes.

Hermione stared into that liquid silver gaze and felt his own determination flood into her body.

"Draco," Hermione whispered, Draco's eyes shined almost as he heard his name on her mouth.

"Hermione?" Draco breathed.

"Help me? Please?" Hermione whispered. Draco wrapped his arms tighter around Hermione and as she buried her face against his chest, she felt his chest shudder as he breathed in indicating he was close to tears. Then she felt his cheek on top of her head again.

"Always," Draco whispered as he felt his tears spill from beneath his closed eyes.


	9. She Will Pay

Hermione woke up the next morning and the first thing she saw was Draco's head on the bed next to her with his body slumped forwards in his chair. Smiling softly she raised her head and smoothed his hair back, ignoring the fact that something felt different as she touched the man next to her. With a soft groan he blinked and looked at her.

"Morning," Draco smiled. Hermione smiled back and stilled her hand, Draco's smile slipped from his face replaced by a sad expression. "What were you thinking?" Draco whispered.

"I don't know," Hermione breathed as Draco caught her hand in both of his.

"Don't ever do something like that to me again please," Draco pleaded quietly. Hermione's mouth fell open as she stared into the liquid silver eyes of the man in front of her.

"I won't," Hermione answered. Just then the door opened and Healer Karris wandered in.

"Ahh you're awake," The woman said with a ghost of a smile across her face. "Do you want to talk about why it happened?"

"No," Hermione whispered.

"Hermione," Draco murmured quietly as he looked at her. When she caught his eye he nodded.

"I can't Draco, I don't know myself," Hermione whispered.

"How about you try and explain the feelings you felt," Healer Karris prompted and Hermione snapped.

"Can I just go home please? I don't know! I've never done something so stupid in my life! Let me go home!" Hermione yelled and the Healer sighed.

"And how do I know that you won't do something like this again?" Healer Karris snapped.

"Trust me," Hermione breathed. Draco looked between Hermione who was close to tears and the healer who was close to losing her temper.

"I'm helping her, she asked me for her help so I will help her," Draco spoke and he met the healers annoyed look with a fierce expression in his own face and he saw her cower.

"You do realise what you are agreeing to right Mr Malfoy?" Healer Karris asked.

"Yes I understand perfectly well. Is Hermione able to go home yet?" Draco asked.

"Of course, however we shall still continue the appointments as scheduled," Healer Karris said sternly while Draco nodded

"Of course," Hermione conceded when she caught the look her healer was giving her.

An hour later while Hermione was tucked up on the couch with a hot chocolate and a book with her feet resting in Draco's lap while he watched basketball on the TV, there was a tapping at the window. Hermione looked up and as Draco was too preoccupied with the game she waved her wand at the window and let the owl in with the daily prophet. She summoned her money bag, paid the bird and then unravelled the paper. When she saw the front page she screamed.

"What?!" Draco yelled as he looked around the room for danger after jumping up from the couch. Then he spotted Hermione holding the daily prophet and trembling.

"Look at this!" Hermione cried as she threw the paper to the floor and started sobbing in her hands. Draco ignoring the paper on the floor went and knelt in front of Hermione and caught her face in his hands.

"Hermione it's going to be okay, I'm here," Draco murmured.

"How did they find out?" Hermione whispered through her tears. Draco ignored her and picked her up, carrying her to his bed where he laid her down and shushed her.

"It doesn't matter, just calm down," Draco whispered as he pulled Hermione towards him and let her sob against his chest, while he wondered how the Prophet had managed to get hold of information on Hermione, because it could only have been the information about her mental state at the minute that could have caused Hermione to cry like that.

It took almost half an hour for Hermione to fall asleep and when she did Draco summoned the prophet from the front room and saw the headline.

**Hermione Granger, Role Model No Longer!**

Seething Draco took in the photo beneath it and saw that it was a photo of Hermione passed out in Draco's arms as he took her to St Mungo's. The moving picture kept replaying the moment when he had shifted Hermione in his arms before walking off as it was the only moment when the photographer had been allowed to see her face, as her hair gave nothing away. Draco spied the little note under the picture indicating to turn to page 4 for the full story and did so. When he found the page he gasped, because there was a double paged spread, one side made of the story, the other made of pictures of Hermione in a pink dress staggering outside before Draco disapparated, a picture of a calming draught, a wicked witch drink, and the cherry on the cake, a photo of the old bookish Hermione taken just after the war.

With a hiss of anger Draco began to read.

**Hermione Granger, Role Model No Longer!**

_By Rita Skeeter_

_When given the name Hermione Granger, the public would picture the bookish muggleborn who fought alongside Harry Potter in the war and struck ambition into the hearts of young girls overlooked by society and a feeling of pride in muggleborns everywhere. We imagine the girl pictured on the right with brown hair, brown eyes and toothy grin._

_Now look at her, Hermione Granger was spotted staggering from the nightclub "The Wicked Witch" on Wednesday night clearly very drunk and being supported by Mr Draco Malfoy, former death eater known for being "The Slytherin Prince" in his school days. She has also discarded the bushy brown hair that would signify her presence, in favour of straight black hair, and her casual none revealing clothes have clearly been overlooked here, in favour of short, skin tight, pastel pink dresses that leave little to the imagination. No one knows for sure what Hermione was doing at a nightclub like this but she appeared there after allegedly burning down the muggle house that belonged to her parents Jean and Richard Granger who died at the beginning of Hermione's seventh year._

_But going out to nightclubs is not all, apparently our dear Gryffindor Princess, one half of the Golden Duo, has been living and sleeping with the pureblood Slytherin Prince who took her home from the nightclub, while attending multiple appointments at St Mungo's. The icing on the cake of the ruined image of Hermione Granger however, happens to be her overdose on Calming Draughts yesterday morning that got her admitted to hospital in the arms of Draco Malfoy (see front page image) and gave her a near death escape when both heart and lungs stopped working. The near death drew happy couple Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley to the hospital alongside Draco Malfoy who admitted to Harry Potter in a public café that he has feelings for the muggleborn witch._

_Hermione Granger had managed to all but disappear since Ron Weasley spilt all about what happened when they disappeared for the year up to the war and left with a different woman after cheating on Hermione and telling Harry Potter he could no longer stand him, yet the recent news involving Hermione's drinking habits and her overdose leaves us all to question, how long has she been hiding her alcoholism and what is she actually up to with Draco Malfoy? The Gryffindor Princess has fallen from grace but is she still worthy to be a role model to your young daughters? Many of our readers would think not._

Draco cast the newspaper aside in disgust and then turned to face the woman next to him. Rita Skeeter was a poisonous woman and she had somehow managed to overhear Draco's conversation with Harry and Ginny, yet she had been quiet for so long. Nothing had appeared in papers that wasn't a direct interview from someone, but this, this wasn't an interview this was information she had scooped by being a beetle. Draco knew about Skeeter's animagus form from fourth year when he had said evil things to the woman so she could publish them. Then it had been funny, now he wanted the woman to pay, there should be laws against stuff like this happening.

"I'm going to get her so hard. How dare she?" Hermione snarled quietly. Draco jumped and then looked down at Hermione who was awake and appeared to have read the paper as he did.

"What?" Draco questioned as he sat up.

"I am going to get Rita Skeeter for everything she's ever done. I warned her in fourth year about writing about me without my consent, now she will find out just how serious I was," Hermione growled as she sat up. Draco sat up with her and ran a hand through his hair worriedly.

"Are you sure? I mean, it could get messy," Draco murmured. Hermione looked at Draco with fierce determination in her eyes and Draco cowered. "Okay you're sure, no problems," Draco conceded quickly.

Just then Draco and Hermione heard the floo chime and Draco climbed off the bed, drew his wand and opened the door slowly and peeked around the corner to see Ginny go to stand up only to be flattened by a very flustered Harry Potter. Draco snorted and then felt a soft arm around his waist, and a small body leaning on him.

"Hermione you shouldn't be up," Draco whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and supported her.

"Who is it?" Hermione asked, ignoring Draco's comment.

"Ginny and Harry," Draco snickered.

"What's so funny?"

"Ginny went first and Potter flattened her," Draco snickered. Hermione let out a loud shout of laughter and her laughter cut through the quiet bickering between the betrothed on the floor.

"I'm glad you find our misfortune so funny Malfoy," Ginny growled as she stood up. Draco held up the arm that wasn't supporting Hermione in mock surrender.

"I wasn't the one who laughed out loud, that was Hermione here," Draco drawled. Harry stood up and straightened his simple muggle jeans and a tee shirt and then raised his wand and cleaned off the soot on his clothes.

"'Mione, how're you?" Harry breathed as he walked towards the pair in the doorway.

"Angry," Hermione growled, narrowing her eyes.

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"Oh as if you don't know. Are you telling me that you didn't find out Draco's address from Blaise and floo over here to tell Draco to hide the paper from me?" Hermione gasped in mock shock as she broke her eye contact with Harry.

"How'd you…" Harry gasped.

"Harry you are still as terrible at occlumency as you were in fifth year," Hermione smirked.

Ginny, who was standing a bit behind Harry looked from Hermione to Draco and back again and noticed that the smirk that was on Draco's face was almost identical to the smirk on Hermione's, and the tone she had used was the exact female replica of Draco's. Hermione then switched her eyes to Ginny who after being reminded Hermione was a legilimens dropped her eyes to the ground and threw up the mental shields she had learnt to erect back in her seventh year when training with Hermione.

"Honestly Harry you should get Ginny to teach you," Hermione snickered as she winked at Ginny when she raised her eyes.

"When did you learn occlumency, and when did you learn legilimency?" Harry asked Ginny and Hermione asked. Ginny and Hermione grinned at one another.

"Harry darling, when you were all worn out after teaching Hermione to play Quidditch, Hermione and I decided to learn legilimency and occlumency, seriously, they're valuable skills in life," Ginny smiled sweetly as she rested her hand on Harry's arm softly.

Draco who had grown tired of the child's play between the three friends coughed slightly and Hermione looked up at him only to go a tad bit dizzy and fall into Draco, who caught her quickly and lifted her into his arms.

"I'm putting you back to bed," Draco smiled as he looked down at Hermione.

"No, I'd rather sit on the sofa," Hermione whined softly.

"Okay," Draco gave in and Hermione smiled up at him as he walked across the room and placed her on the couch, sitting at the end with her feet in his lap.

"Thanks, now, you three will not be able to stop me, I am going to get back at Skeeter for her printing this story. I warned her, now I'm going to reveal her as an unregistered animagus in my own story for the prophet at the same time I'll ask Luna to release an interview to explain my actions, because what she's written is only half the truth. No one knows that the other night was the only time I've ever been out alone, or the fact I'm being treated for depression due to discovering my parents died 2 years ago only last week Friday," Hermione said fiercely, once she was settled. Ginny and Harry looked between each other and then nodded at Hermione, obviously used to the fact that Hermione was not a force to be reckoned with when she got going.

"Is there anything you need?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure yet Harry, but I will let you know. But Draco do you have a study?" Hermione spoke. Draco nodded and pointed at a dark wood door in the corner of the room and Hermione nodded. Ginny sat down on one of the couches and leant back watching Hermione and Draco carefully and noticing something between them.

"Hermione, won't you need some sort of proof that Rita Skeeter is actually an animagus?" Ginny asked. Hermione looked up at her friend and groaned.

"How in the world will I get that?"

"Well how about I tail Rita under Harry's cloak for a full day and you somehow slip Rita Skeeter information that Hermione will be going for a meal with Draco the same day. Now if she wants to get the dirt on you two then she's going to have to go animagus to get to you, if I'm tailing her maybe I can take a photo of her as she transforms, she's not amazingly smart so she will definitely be slightly cocky as to where and when she changes," Ginny mused. Draco looked at Ginny with shock in his eyes.

"You should have been in Slytherin," Draco smirked.

"Did you know the hat debated putting Harry in Slytherin?" Ginny smirked. Harry shot daggers at Ginny while Draco crowed with laughter.

"Harry Potter, the golden boy himself, placed in Slytherin? You have got to be fuckin' kidding me," Draco laughed. Hermione snickered behind her hand at Harry's expression.

"You do know that was the most hidden secret I have?" Harry pouted.

"Awh, don't be sad Harry," Hermione then mocked. Harry glared at her too as Draco grinned at Hermione.

"So are we actually going for dinner?" Draco asked hopefully.

"I guess if we want it to be as easy as possible then we should actually go for a meal right?" Hermione smiled sheepishly. Draco nodded and Hermione sighed deeply. "When shall we go?" Hermione asked.

"As soon as you're strong enough to go, so when do you think you could manage going on a date with Draco Malfoy all dressed up and looking stunning?" Draco smirked. Hermione leant forwards and smacked him over the back of his head lightly.

"Arrogant prat," Hermione then smiled as she leant back. Draco looked affronted and shocked as he stared at the black haired beauty in front of him. Hermione simply smiled her best don't-hate-me smile and folded her hands in her lap.

"When do you think you'll be strong enough Mi?" Harry asked as he controlled his silent laughter, while Draco still seemed in a state of shock.

"Given me three days, I'm already bored of sitting still," Hermione pouted.

"Well how about you get your story written then when we go out you can get your proof," Draco said as he recovered.

"And what if she turns up in her animagus form?" Ginny suddenly asked.

"Then we'll set a spell that means she'd have to get up close and personal to hear us and then we can just catch her, force her out of her animagus form and capture the transformation then force her back again. I'm hoping that it will work," Hermione smiled.

"You are brilliant," Draco grinned and Hermione smiled shyly.

Ginny and Harry stayed the remainder of the day with Hermione and Draco and stayed for dinner also. Hermione found it intriguing to watch the way Harry and Draco started off very cautious with how they were but eventually slipped into an easy conversation and banter until they met the topic of quidditch.

"Would it have killed you to let me get the snitch just the once Harry?" Draco whined. Harry sat back and laughed as Draco pouted.

"Yes Draco I think it might just have killed me. The entire Gryffindor house would have hexed me for letting you guys win, but shall I tell you what is even more shocking?" Harry snickered.

"What?" Draco asked eagerly as he leant forwards.

"Hermione plays all four positions of quidditch as well as you and I can seek," Harry smiled. Hermione groaned loudly as the boys conversation suddenly broke through the conversation Ginny and Hermione were having through Legilimency.

"Why is it shocking Harry?" Hermione whined.

"Because if I remember correctly, your broom stayed firmly on the ground in our flying lessons," Draco snickered.

"So I developed a likeness for being high up and gained a bit of confidence in my own abilities after the war but, I'm not as good as you, Harry and Ginny," Hermione murmured modestly.

"Mione, shut up. You saved every single shot I threw at you, you put the Quaffle through the goal every time you had it, PLUS you beat Harry to the snitch. You are better than all of us Mi. Now shut up and deal with it," Ginny smiled. Draco looked at Hermione in awe as she blushed heavily.

"You beat Harry to the snitch?" Draco gasped.

"Only once, and he was distracted," Hermione muttered.

"Bullshit, I was as focused on that snitch as you were, you just got there first," Harry said sorely. Hermione chose this moment to lower her eyes to the table and throw up her mental shields so she could continue her dinner, even though she was thoroughly embarrassed.

"I have to see you play one day Mi," Draco grinned as he leant closer to Hermione. Hermione stiffened as she heard the used of her most favourite nickname on the lips of Draco Malfoy in his smooth velvet voice. No one noticed her slightly stiffened posture and Hermione relaxed as she placed some pasta in her mouth while listening to the conversation.


	10. Dinner

"Draco what is that thing you have put on my bed?" Hermione demanded as she marched out of the spare room and flung open the door of Draco's master bedroom. Only she did not expect to find Draco stood there in a loosely tied, low slung towel, with water droplets glistening in his hair and all over his hard, toned, and utterly delicious body. Hermione blushed as she caught herself thinking about running her hands over the smooth muscles then she caught herself and gasped.

"Mi? You want something?" Draco asked casually as he raised a smaller towel to his hair to dry it off. Hermione swallowed a few times and then she shook her head as she removed her eyes from the masculine figure that had her heart racing.

"Yes, what is that thing you have placed on my bed?" Hermione then hissed as the black number appeared in her head.

"That Hermione, happens to be a dress, a dress you are going to have to wear if you do not wish to look out of place at the restaurant we're going to," Draco smirked arrogantly as he lowered his towel from his damp hair after making Hermione wait for an answer.

"But it's floor length, and strapless and I have no shoes," Hermione growled. Draco chuckled lightly and flicked his wand at his wardrobe so a shoebox came floating out towards Hermione. Hermione caught the box on reflex but glowered at Draco.

"Look consider them my gift to you, because you've actually been good company for the past week. When you take everything into account. Now get the dress on, get the shoes on, you'll find a small bag that should match on your bedside table and don't forget our reservation is for 7:00pm and it's 5pm now. You are also still in what you wore all day. If it helps think about tonight as the day you'll get your proof for your article," Draco said casually as he dropped the towel onto his bed and rested his right hand on the knot of the towel that was only hiding his private parts by about a centimetre.

Drawn there by his hand moving to his hip Hermione found her eyes drawn to the fine trail of dark blonde hair descending from Draco's navel and disappearing below the towel. Then she groaned and threw her spare hand up to her face as she turned on her heel to Draco's musical laughter. Hermione stormed across the flat and into her own bedroom, where she placed the shoes on her bed, grabbed a towel and headed to her bathroom. When she stepped under the shower spray Hermione let out a long low breath.

The three days she had spent recovering from her overdose had been three of the most eye opening days she'd had since she'd heard of her parents' death. She was still depressed, and still going to see Healer Karris, who kept telling her she would make no progress if she didn't speak, but she had been alert. Unfortunately being alert had meant she took note of the man she was living with. When he had left his room and come for breakfast the one day in just loose jogging bottoms hung low enough on his hips for his black boxers to be visible, Hermione had for the first time truly noticed how much of a sex god Draco Malfoy was. He was Adonis reincarnated with perfect hard muscles hidden under soft alabaster coloured skin and the utterly delicious shape of his body as his strong shoulders and chest tapered into a narrow waist. Even though she was Hermione and he was Draco Malfoy, she was still a woman, and she had felt her heart rate speed up and had fought to control her breathing as he had given her a sexy, sleepy smile.

On the second night Hermione had woken up in the middle of the night as she had a dream about the plane crash and she had run into Draco's room and stood there shaking, as she debated waking him or leaving him to sleep. Draco had woken up at the sound of her and he had slowly walked over to her and pulled her tight to him, despite being dressed only in his boxers, he had then pulled her to the bed and turned on the lamp and sat there with her. At close range in the light Hermione had noticed the palest dusting of freckles she had ever seen across his shoulders and with short laugh she had pointed them out and Draco had scowled at her, but then he stayed there at 2 in the morning and initiated a conversation where they talked about everything that had happened to them. It had lasted the best part of 2 hours and not once did he complain, when they finally climbed into bed together she felt completely safe in his arms and felt like she knew Draco Malfoy better than anyone, save his mother and himself.

With a shiver Hermione began to wash herself using her favourite coconut soaps before using strawberry smelling shampoo and conditioner on her hair as she tried to ignore the feeling of sadness and immense hatred as her recent post sprang to mind.

The same day the article was released in the prophet Hermione received almost 50 owls, none of which were actually nice. Every single one told Hermione that she was a disappointment, and their little girls used to look up to her. The worst ones were howlers, one of which came from a muggleborn who told her she was a disgrace to all muggleborns and that they had enough to deal with without the most famous muggleborn witch fraternising with pureblood scum such as Draco Malfoy and dragging their name through the mud with her drinking habits. Draco had also been sent a barrage of hate mail for fraternising with Mudblood scum and he'd had a temper tantrum when he received an owl from his mother saying she had also received similar mail and burnt it promptly. The only thing Draco would not let Hermione do however; was apologise. He wouldn't let her even whisper the word without telling her that they could send Dementors to his door and he wouldn't change what he promised to do. Hermione felt her heart melt as she remembered every letter Draco had burned for her and every enchantment he had set up to ensure no unwanted mail reached her eyes after the first day.

When she was finished she felt relaxed and she stepped out of her bathroom to look at the dress on her bed. It was a beautiful dress, strapless and fitted to the hips, where it would hang loosely, made of a subtly shimmering black material with a split up the one that stopped at her mid-thigh. Although strapless, it was the type of dress you wore without jewellery, as any kind, even the kind Draco's mother wore, would look simple next to the dress and give the entire outfit a cheap look. The dress was stunning and the fact that Draco chose it made her wonder where he would be taking her that would require a dress like that, it also made her anxious to see how good he looked, because he would certainly be dressed to match the dress even if she herself didn't look very extraordinary

Eventually when Hermione had dried her hair and placed loose curls through the ends and given herself light make-up, Hermione stepped up to the dress and pulled it on gently. The dress fit like a glove and without pausing to look in the mirror, she waved her wand at the plain black 4 inch heels Draco had chosen so they would feel like she was in flats before stepping into them and summoning her bag. Inside her bag she placed a lip-gloss, her wand and her purse, even though Draco had told her he would pay for that night.

"Mi! Are you ready yet?" Draco yelled through the door. Hermione grabbed a black shawl from off the back of her desk chair and stepped up to the door.

"There is no need to shout Draco I'm done," Hermione said as she flung the door wide. The way Draco looked was indescribable, no word could correctly describe him, he was dressed up in a black suit, black shirt with the top button undone and no tie, with his hair casually messy and he looked ever so cool and casual with his hands in his pockets, however only his facial expression ruined the I'm-sexy-and-I-know-it look. "Draco are you alright?" Hermione asked as she stepped closer to him.

Draco's eyes were glued to the woman in front of him. Hermione looked absolutely beautiful, her hair had been done in such a way that it positively shined and the dress Pansy had helped him choose had knocked him senseless. Hermione Granger, although short, had curves in all the right places and a fair amount as well, the dress hugged her slim figure like a second skin and through the thigh high slit in the dress Draco could see one creamy leg, and the black heels he had given her made her look tall enough to stand comfortably at his side and made the leg he could see appear longer than it was; then he became aware of the expression the beautiful woman was wearing as she waved her hand in his face. Blinking Draco suddenly started to hear again.

"I'll find something else to wear don't worry," Hermione whispered dejectedly as she started to turn away.

"What?" Draco gasped.

"You're looking at me like you hate it," Hermione whispered.

"No, no, no, no, Merlin, Hermione you look absolutely beautiful, and I am not lying to you, you look stunning," Draco gasped as he saw Hermione's milk chocolate eyes cast downwards. Hermione stayed looking down until Draco lifted his hand and raised her chin gently so he could meet her chocolatey orbs and convince her he was not lying. "Did you not look in a mirror before you walked out of your bedroom?" Draco sighed heavily. Hermione shook her head and Draco found himself wondering what woman leaves a room without checking her outfit beforehand? Draco then took her hand and dragged her into his bedroom and spun her to face his floor length mirror.

Placing his hands on Hermione's shoulders he felt her freeze and he watched with amusement as her hand rose to her lipsticked mouth in shock before she glanced up to meet his eyes in the mirror. When grey locked with chocolate, Draco felt time stand still. Something foreign sparked between the two sets of eyes and they held onto it for as long as they could without blinking. As soon as they blinked the connection broke and as Draco saw her facial expression soften he knew he was letting down more walls than normal but looking at the image of both himself and Hermione brought out a strange feeling in him. A feeling his father would have told him was fake, a feeling his father would have blamed on an unknown spell from the clever muggleborn witch. His father would never have accepted the image Draco could see, and he felt himself sadden.

Hermione must have seen his sadness also because she suddenly whipped around and smiled brightly.

"I though reservations were for 7:00pm. Why are we just stood here," Hermione grinned. Draco smiled weakly before her took her hand and pulled her close to him before apparating to the restaurant in Italy.

Hermione couldn't help but gasp as she saw where they were.

"Italy?" Hermione whispered as she leant closer to Draco.

"The one and only," Draco grinned. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief at the fact she had learnt to speak Italian. "Why the sigh of relief?"

"I actually know how to read and speak in Italian," Hermione grinned.

"Well how about we stop dawdling and go inside?" Draco smiled as he walked up to the female host. Hermione remained closed by Draco's side, feeling a tad bit out of depth as he conversed with the Host and got them seen to their seat.

"You two are cheery," Hermione commented.

"My family used to come here often, I haven't been in a while but it is beautiful don't you think?" Draco asked with a casual gesture towards the open window. Hermione finally decided to look around and as she looked out of her window she was greeted by a deep expanse of blue sea, shimmering in the evening sun, while a light but warm breeze slipped through the window and warmed Hermione as she sat there.

"Wow," Hermione whispered. Then she slipped her wand out of her bag and underneath the table before casting the muffliato spell on their table.

"Did you cast the charm?" Draco whispered.

"Yes. Did you tell Ginny?" Hermione whispered back. Draco nodded and Hermione visibly relaxed.

A waiter then walked up to the pair passing within the charm Hermione had set and handed them their menu's and a small bell before letting them know that when they were ready to order they should just ring the bell and rushing off. Hermione eyed the bell curiously and Draco chuckled.

"It saves them waiting around all day, are you ready to order?" Draco then asked. Hermione smiled but shook her head as she picked up her menu.

"I've barely raised my menu, let alone chosen something to eat Draco," Hermione smiled. Draco blushed a delicate shade of pink then he pulled Hermione's menu down from her face. "You don't need a menu to order a drink."

"Fine, how does a red wine sound?" Hermione smiled. "A sweet one." Draco nodded and then rang the bell lightly. The waiter heard the sound and looked up from where he was behind the bar and walked over swiftly. Draco ordered the drinks quickly while Hermione folded her hands in her lap and looked at her menu from her position, brushing her hair back over her shoulders so it didn't fall forwards. Until she finally decided on a chicken lasagne, playing it safe and sweet as the waiter hurried away.

"I've decided what I want," Hermione smiled as she looked up, but she made a mistake as she caught his liquid silver eyes.

Both Hermione and Draco stopped paying attention to the world around them as they got lost in the other. Hermione felt like she could see all the way into him; he was completely open to her, hiding nothing. She knew he had been bad, she knew he could still be a complete dick but the war had changed him, humbled him in ways only being on the losing side can.

Just then someone fell into Hermione's chair and she gasped as she jolted in her seat and smacked her lower ribs off the hard wood table. Hermione looked up through watery eyes at the offending person and saw a head of platinum blonde curls hurrying away. Hermione narrowed her eyes into the space just behind the woman and saw a slight shimmering that indicated that someone invisible was hiding there.

"That was Rita," Hermione whispered as she looked back at her menu, trying to gather her wits about her. At the rate this was going, she wouldn't make it to the end of the night without jumping on a certain Draco Malfoy.

"Let the fun begin," Draco smirked. Then he looked down at the menu. "You said you had decided on what you wanted?"

"Yes, chicken lasagne," Hermione smiled. Draco grinned back at her and winked as the waiter arrived with the drinks.

The waiter looked at Draco who instead indicated Hermione should order for herself and Hermione smiled as she looked up at the waiter. Draco couldn't keep his eyes from the mesmerising woman in front of him. Her black hair with loose curls was falling forwards over her shoulder as she turned and her creamy skin had a delicate pink tinge to it. She spoke Italian well without the tiniest hitch or flaw in her pronunciation as she ordered and when she met Draco's eyes after ordering he saw the prettiest red blush shine through her light layer of make-up and colour her skin.

"Signore?" The waiter called and Draco looked up suddenly tearing his eyes from the angel in front of him and he ordered the exact same as Hermione. When the waiter walked away Draco lowered his eyes to his folded hands in front of him as he tried to avoid staring at the woman opposite. His efforts however were made useless as a soft cream coloured hand touched his. Draco looked up reflexively and met the eyes of the woman he realised he wanted more than anything.

Hermione caught the suddenly intense look in Draco's eyes and she pulled her hand away, or tried to, because as she went to move Draco reflexively flipped a hand over and caught hers. Hermione thought he hadn't done it on purpose but he slowly looked down and rearranged his hand so his fingers were interlocked with hers.

"You know when you wish you could understand?" Hermione whispered. Draco nodded back as the intensity of his silver eyes increased. Hermione suddenly gasped and withdrew her hand as she looked down. She couldn't understand what was happening. Where the hell had these sudden feelings for this man come from. She had always thought he was rather good looking back at school but he was an arrogant git and a prejudiced pureblood to boot, but now, he was different and for some reason this different version of Draco Malfoy had earned a one way train ticket straight to her broken heart. Hermione took a deep breath and then looked up at Draco with a tentative smile, the smile he returned was every bit as shy as hers and then she let out the breath and turned to look out the window at the sea and the soft sunset as Draco caught her hand once more and interlaced their fingers again.

When dinner arrived Hermione and Draco ate in silence, occasionally bringing up questions they had forgotten to ask when they had spent the night talking. Draco had Hermione laughing more than she had laughed since she had left the Weasley's and he rarely let go of her soft hand. Hermione found that she could rarely ever look away from the silver lava that was the colour of Draco's eyes, he was intense, and his personality over dinner was just magnetic. She found herself drawn to the man more and more over dinner, completely forgetting about the actual mission behind the meal until she went to the washroom just after they finished their main.

"Mi?" Hermione heard someone whisper and she looked around the seemingly empty bathroom then she saw Ginny uncover herself in the corner and grin at her.

"Merlin Ginny you scared me," Hermione chuckled as her friend wrapped her arms around her lightly.

"I almost didn't recognise you, you look, well I have no words because good is not even close," Ginny gasped. Hermione blushed and looked down at the dress as she walked over to one of the cubicles.

Ginny waited until Hermione re-emerged before leaning close to her ear.

"We have our evidence by the way. Skeeter had no idea," Ginny whispered.

"You have it? Brilliant!" Hermione grinned after a few seconds.

"You forgot? Are you having that great a time with Mr sex-god-Malfoy that you truly forgot about the real reason for this?" Ginny snickered.

"Ginny," Hermione sighed reproachfully.

"It's true isn't it? I came out of here once or twice cause it's bloody boring when Harry's working late and I saw you and him laughing and looking at each other all cute and stuff. You two are really hitting it off aren't you?" Ginny asked. Hermione blushed as she stared into the mirror, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"Maybe. I can't help myself," Hermione whispered with a shy grin. Ginny gasped and let out a quiet squeal then she grinned at her friend.

"There's hope for you yet, now go get back to Mr Delish," Ginny grinned as she shooed Hermione and threw the cloak back on. Hermione shook her head and walked out the washroom to Draco who was sitting there looking ever so cool and casual as per usual as he looked out of the window.

"Did you miss me?" Hermione grinned. Draco looked back at Hermione and his silver eyes sparkled.

"Of course, do you want desert here or would you rather take it home with some of that wine you love so much?" Draco grinned. Hermione place a finger to her lip as if thinking hard but then grinned and Draco knew the answer. Wait here while I go and pay the bill and collect our desert and wine. How would you feel about _Torta di Ricotta_, an Italian cheesecake?" Draco smiled. Hermione nodded enthusiastically and she watched as the man rose from his seat gracefully and walked casually over to the host.

As she waited Hermione looked all around and couldn't help but be happy with her evening. Even though she had been reluctant to call this a date she was glad it turned out like one. Draco was ever the gentleman, allowing her to choose what she wanted to eat and not ordering for her and she couldn't remember being treated as nicely as this when she was with Weasley. Draco Malfoy surpassed Ron Weasley in practically everything. Ron had never bothered with her emotional state and he was always angry when she refused to sleep with him. Yet when Hermione had been upset and kissed Draco the other day, he had been the one to refuse her, not angrily, not roughly but kindly with a sweetness she would never have imagined coming from the Slytherin Prince himself.

"Why so deep in thought gorgeous?" A rough male voice asked. Hermione looked up from the beetle on the table and saw a man sat in front of her, leering at her almost.

"Sorry I don't know you," Hermione answered with a frown. The man chuckled as he leaned forwards and placed a hand on her neck.

"Of course you don't honey, why would any man leave such a woman like you alone?" The man chuckled. His dialect was rough English with a strong Italian accent and Hermione tried to recoil and would have if the man had not wrapped his thick fingers around her neck hidden by the dark sheets of her hair.

"Release me," Hermione gasped as she stared into the man's eyes angrily.

"Now why would I want to do that?" The man chuckled as he pulled Hermione forwards.

"Because you wouldn't want to cause a scene in such a high standard restaurant sir," The host replied in a smooth English accent. Hermione looked up and her worried eyes caught a hold of Draco's furious ones and in his anger his eyes had become a flat cold grey. The host was also looking furious and the man released me quickly and leant back with a chuckle.

"Of course," The man said and the host drew her wand and placed it into the man's neck on the sly.

"Get up and leave my restaurant, do not dare return," The host snarled as the man stood up. With a short nod the man turned and left the restaurant not looking back and Draco walked over and held out his hand to help Hermione out of her chair. Using his other hand he tilted her head back and checked her neck for any signs of redness.

"He didn't hurt you?" Draco murmured. Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Are you okay, do you still want to continue our plans for this evening?" Draco asked with a slight ghost of a smile. Hermione grinned back as she removed Draco's hand from her chin.

"If you think some leery bastard could ruin my evening and the remainder of it you've still got a lot to learn," Hermione grinned and Draco grinned back as he picked up Hermione's shawl from the back of her chair and handed it to her along with her bag from the table. The host led them over to the bar and Draco collected their cheesecake in a box and a bottle of wine before he led Hermione out into the warm evening.


	11. The Truth

When Draco arrived back at his flat with Hermione she smiled up at him then disappeared into her room. Draco placed the cake and the wine on the kitchen counter and then shrugged out of his suit jacket as he headed to his own room. Once there he hung his suit jacket up and changed from his black shirt and suit trousers into a light grey tee shirt and his favourite loose joggers before he pushed his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. Something about Hermione Granger had got to him and got to him hard, he wanted her so much and he was finding it hard to balance his own interests behind her needs. But then he drew another breath and went out to the main room of his flat and found two side plates and glasses and placed them on the side next to the cake and rested his hands on the counter as he tried to clear his head.

Hermione walked out of her room and saw Draco leaning on the counter with his head bowed and she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and rested her head against his back.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Hermione smiled. Draco's hands fell on her own and he unwrapped her arms and pulled her around so she was between him and the counter. With a gasp Hermione found herself trapped in that silver lava gaze of his as she felt his breath wash over her face, without her permission her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed. She could feel Draco inches away from her with his hands either side of her but she was frozen, trapped under his magnetism. Draco let out a deep breath and he moved back and away from Hermione and she let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding and opened her eyes to see Draco pouring them both a glass of wine as he smiled softly. Hermione raised her hand to her neck as she tried to slow her heart beat inconspicuously.

"Do you want cake now or later?" Draco then asked as he passed Hermione a glass. "Ooh spoil me," Hermione grinned and he grinned back as he conjured a knife and cut into the cheesecake.

They took their cake and wine to the mat by the small fire that was not meant as a floo and they ate and drank in companionable silence as they looked at each other. Draco finished before Hermione and he watched her eat and drink with fascination. Without meaning to he found he had moved closer to Hermione as she raised her drink to her mouth, and as she tipped her head back to finish the drink Draco leant forwards and placed a kiss on Hermione's neck. It was soft and lingering and Hermione swallowed convulsively before she let out a quiet groan. Draco pulled back and levelled a look in her eyes.

"Can I," Draco tried but he found he made no sound so he swallowed and tried again for a whisper. "Merlin let me kiss you?" Draco asked as his breathing hitched unevenly in his throat. Hermione looked at the man in front of her as she set down the glass and really saw the man who was now kneeling in front of her. She tentatively ran her hands up his arms all the way up to his neck, kneeling up as she did so and she felt Draco's long hands wrap around her waist.

"I was right," Draco chuckled unexpectedly.

"About what?" Hermione asked.

"The first time I saw you, I predicted my hands would meet at your back if I wrapped them around your waist," Draco whispered. "Merlin I was right," Draco then gasped as he lowered his mouth to meet Hermione's, pulling her flush against him. Hermione gasped as his mouth attacked hers and she tangled her fingers in his soft blonde hair kissing him back with an equal passion. Draco groaned against Hermione's mouth as she pulled against his hair, then he pulled away and planted a trail of kisses on her neck. Hermione let out a quiet mewl of pleasure, then Draco pushed her backwards slowly, holding onto her as he lowered her to the floor never breaking the kiss once. He lowered his body onto hers and he felt Hermione press her hips against his as he kissed a sweet spot on her neck on the way back to her lips. With a gasp Hermione brought her hands down from his hair and gripped the top of his arms as he kissed her mouth softly, flicking his tongue against her mouth to get her to open her lips. Hermione obliged and when she felt Draco's tongue flick against her own, any remaining sense that lay in her head was lost and she felt herself get lost in her senses. The feel of him on her skin and his weight as he pressed her into the floor only added to the pleasure she could feel as he kissed her passionately, and the scent coming off the man above her only made her want him more.

Draco was in a similar state of need and want, Hermione was so small and so soft but he could feel the fierceness of her that waited to burst free as she pulled his hair and dragged her nails down his arms. He wanted that witch so terribly it was becoming an ache very closely related to his groin and with a swift movement he had pulled Hermione up and picked her up so he could continue their kiss with her legs wrapped around his waist.

From this point Hermione was slightly above him and she found she had a tad bit more control, control she grabbed with both hands as she pulled her mouth from his and dipped her head to the point just underneath Draco's jaw and she kissed him using her soft hands to tilt his head back. Hermione nipped at the skin softly with her teeth and she heard a low guttural moan escape from his throat as he pressed her against the wall, grinding his hips against hers and allowed her to bite and suck his neck as much as she wanted to. With her eyes closed and Draco's soft moans in her ears she didn't hear or see the floo start operating and neither did Draco, so when he used one hand to pull her mouth back to his neither of them were aware that Ginny Weasley closely followed by Harry Potter had just appeared and were now witness to their intimate moment. As she was completely unaware, when Draco bit her lower lip and Hermione let out a moan as she opened her eyes, it wasn't surprising that she screamed.

Draco jumped about a mile and almost dropped the mesmerising witch who promptly buried her head in the crook of his neck and burst into tears.

"What the hell? Mi, tell me what's wrong, please honey tell me," Draco murmured into her hair as he held her with one arm and pushed away from the wall. Hermione shook her head and Draco sighed as he turned around. His sigh promptly turned into a stream of profanities as he came face to face with a smug Ginny Weasley and a slightly angry Harry Potter.

"Well hello to you too Draco," Ginny smirked. Hermione suddenly started squirming and Draco let her go and watched as she ran towards her room, he went to follow after her but as soon as she was through the door she slammed it. That sound was so ominous he felt any desire he had leave his body under the sudden tidal wave of anger and sadness that he felt at being shut out. Draco balled his hands into fists as he fought to control his temper then he turned around to face the intruders.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked in a low voice as he heard Hermione sob against her door. Ginny's and Harry's expressions were ones of shock now as they saw Hermione's reaction and Draco folded his arms and opted for a stance that was mildly intimidating.

"I said we should come by with the evidence straight away," Harry spoke up as he imitated Draco's stance and although Harry was stockier than Draco, Draco was taller and his anger was a tad bit more impressive.

"Why do you think that would be a good idea?" Draco asked coldly. Harry walked forwards and stood about a foot from Draco who glared down at him.

"Well it obviously was because if we'd come in 5 minutes later it would be too late wouldn't it, because you obviously cannot control yourself," Harry glared.

"You think I forced her into that position?" Draco gasped. Harry's eyes dropped to Draco's neck and followed something Draco himself wasn't aware of. With quick strides Draco stepped around Harry and walked to his bedroom and shut the door locking it and silencing it as he went to check the mirror. Hermione had left bite marks and red love bites across his neck in a line and he gasped as he pressed one, he hadn't even been aware of the pain as she did it.

Hoping against hope that she had silenced her room Draco apparated and reappeared in Hermione's room and found her curled up on the bed. She opened her eyes at the noise and she slowly got off the bed and walked over to Draco before falling into his open arms.

"Are you okay?" Draco whispered into the long sheets of black hair.

"Isn't Harry angry with you?" Hermione gasped.

"Only a little bit. He thinks I forced you into the position we were in and have you _seen_ what you did to my _neck_?" Draco answered. Hermione leant back and looked up at Draco's neck and she smiled shyly as she looked down at his arms.

"Sorry," Hermione whispered. Draco looked down at the woman in his arms with her playful smile and then leant forwards slowly to warn her what he was going to do before planting the softest kisses on her lips causing her to sigh.

"Are you going to go out there and receive your evidence?" Draco asked slyly. Hermione nodded and walked towards the door.

"Wait, put this on first," Draco answered as he held out a jumper he had conjured from his wardrobe. The jumper was a light grey turtleneck and Hermione raised a questioning eyebrow. Draco just directed her towards the mirror and she gasped as she saw the myriad of red marks along her neck and exposed shoulder. She was wearing pyjama shorts and a spaghetti strap vest top which hid absolutely nothing in the way of her neck. Draco chuckled, lifted her chin and planted another kiss on her mouth, he couldn't get enough of the delicious woman. Then he apparated back to his own room and walked out at the same time Hermione did. Ginny raised her eyebrow as she took in her best friend's attire but hurried over and gave her a hug whispering something in her ear as she did so. Draco walked over and sat down on the couch opposite Harry who was still standing.

"Listen Harry, you know where I stand. You know I would never, could never, hurt her and have you ever tried to force Hermione to do anything? It generally never goes well," Draco explained with a deep sigh. Harry nodded as his hands dropped to his side.

"I'm sorry mate, it's just, shit, Hermione is like a sister to me, has been since first year. She's always been there for me without fail and she's more loyal that Weasley ever was. She stuck by even when I stuck up for Weasley when they were arguing. I have a life debt that's infinitely long to pay back to that woman," Harry murmured as he watched Ginny and Hermione conversing in quiet undertones and he drew in a quick breath as he saw Ginny pull the neck of Hermione's jumper down and he spied the red marks that decorated it. "If something happened to her, I could never forgive myself," Harry finished. Draco nodded with understanding. He knew where Harry was coming from, even though the entire situation was different. The two men sat in silence for a few minutes until Draco suddenly relaxed back and looked back at the red head woman whispering in the ear of the object of his affections and making her blush that beautiful cream pink colour.

"Ginevra, I believe you had some evidence for us?" Draco drawled and he smirked as the red head looked up and sent a fierce glare his way. Draco's smirk only grew wider as she placed her hands on her hips.

"It's Ginny!" Ginny hissed.

"Of course Ginevra now come on," Draco smiled. Then he heard footsteps and felt a light slap on the back of his head. He rested his head on the back of the couch and looked up into the eyes of an amused Hermione Granger.

"You really, really shouldn't annoy her," Hermione stage whispered as he shining brown eyes met sparkling silver. Draco grinned and reached a hand up to caress her cheek. Hermione with a quick grin leant down and planted a short light kiss on his mouth and pulled away blushing as she saw Harry's eyes trained on her.

"Do you have anything to explain Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Nope," Hermione smirked popping the P as she shook her head then she sat down next to Draco and leant into his embrace. Ginny walked over and produced a shrunk camera from her pocket and enlarged it placing it in Hermione's hand.

"What did you get?" Hermione asked.

"Several photos of her transforming throughout the day, both into the beetle and out of, she always leaves her things somewhere she returns to transform back to her human form. I got photos of her transforming from human to beetle and from beetle to human," Ginny grinned as she sat next to Harry.

Hermione turned the camera over in her hands and then murmured a quick spell as she pointed her wand at the back of the camera, instantly the camera produced all the photos Ginny had taken throughout the day. All of them moving and all of them showing Rita transforming from beetle to human and back again, Ginny had even managed to get a fair few close ups of the beetles distinctive markings around the antennae.

"Ginny you are brilliant," Hermione grinned and she rushed over and gave her friend a hug. Ginny hugged her friend tightly and over her shoulder she saw Harry staring at Draco who was staring at Hermione.

"Hermione can I talk to you a sec?" Ginny asked. Hermione pulled away with a questioning glance in her eyes and Hermione took her hand and pulled her into her bedroom.

"What's up?" Hermione asked.

"Have you been paying much attention to Draco Malfoy?" Ginny asked. Hermione's eyebrows furrowed as she thought.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because that guy is smitten," Ginny whispered. Hermione stepped back with a frown in her eyes.

"No he isn't. I mean… He isn't," Hermione insisted.

"So please explain why you guys looked so happy on your date and why were you two were practically eating each other?" Ginny questioned as she raised her eyebrow.

Ginny watched as Hermione crossed her arms over her chest in a very Hermione-ish gesture as she walked away from her friend, but as Ginny remained silent Hermione began to blush and she unconsciously raised her hand to her neck, then she brushed her hair back and frowned.

"It's nothing, we just got caught up in the moment," Hermione frowned. "We could never be anything and you know that."

"And why is that? You're single, he's single, you seem happier," Ginny frowned as she inspected Hermione's sincere brown eyes. Although she was not quite the Hermione she had once been she did have some sparkle back in her eyes even though she was still damaged. Ginny didn't think she would ever get back to the Hermione she had been at school, but she hoped.

"Stop it Gin, I won't ever be that girl again, she died alongside Voldemort and you know she did," Hermione groaned as the unintentional eye contact had given Hermione a free entry into her best friends head. Ginny threw up her occlumency walls as she felt a sick feeling in her gut.

"What happened to you Mi?" Ginny asked as she walked forwards and took Hermione's hands. "I feel like the worst friend ever right about now."

"Nothing hap-," Hermione started but Ginny cut her off.

"Don't lie to me."

"Fine! After the war, Harry was broken up with guilt, Ron and you and the rest of the Weasley's were all broken because of Fred. No one needed me to mourn as well. At least I still had my P… I thought I still had _them_. So I forced myself not to cry, I forced myself to be the rock of the family, help Mrs Weasley get back on her feet, be there for you, Harry and Ron and help build George back." Hermione spat in a rush the she laughed bitterly. "God, nothing stopped the nightmares, but a non-verbal silencing spell on myself before bed does wonders. No one even knew. No one needed me to mourn so I didn't. But I lost people too. I lost Remus and Tonks and Mad-Eye and Fred and countless people died in front of me that I couldn't save," Hermione choked out angrily as tears threatened her. Then she took a deep breath and steadied herself before carrying on. "I suffered as well… Locking it all out, forcing myself to be happy changed me Gin. The girl I used to be would have cried and then got over it, she would have been strong enough to cry it out and live afterwards. Instead I chose to ignore it all, throw up walls and pretend, and I got better that way. Even after Ron cheated on me and then destroyed our trust, going back to Hogwarts helped me forget the walls I threw up. It made me forget the fact that I was still left to mourn and get over the way I was tortured. I pretended to be the same girl I used to be, but something inside me just couldn't face going back to Hogwarts, but I did, for everyone else, I went back. I'm glad I did but I wasn't the same girl even if I was happy and pretended to be," Hermione finished.

Ginny stood frozen as she stared at her best friend. The girl was well and truly broken in two and she hadn't realised it. She had forgotten that Hermione had been there and lost people too. Hermione had been everyone's rock; she had been everyone's shoulder to cry on including Mrs Weasley. Everyone seemed to forget that she too needed someone to rely on.

"I was a coward," Hermione gasped as she practically collapsed and fell to the floor. Ginny caught her friend as she started crying and sat down on the floor with her, holding her tight.

"No, you weren't. Mi, you were everything but a coward. You were the strongest of all of us. Only you managed to stand up and be there for everyone, only you," Ginny murmured into her friend's hair as she cried quietly.

"My parent's death was the final straw," Hermione gasped. Ginny held her friend ever so tight and then sent a silent doe patronus to Draco.

The silver form caught Hermione's eye and she raised her head.

"I thought your patronus was a horse?" Hermione questioned through her tears

"It was. When Harry pretended to die, I performed it afterwards on a Dementor and it was a doe, not the horse it had been before that point," Ginny whispered as she looked at the wand. Hermione was still crying quietly as she pulled away from her friend and rested her face on her knees.

"Don't you dare," Ginny growled. Hermione didn't respond. "Don't you dare try and hide from us. We practically owe our lives to you, and we definitely owe our sanity to you. Now it's our turn, don't lock us out."

"It's alright Gin," Draco murmured as he walked through the door. He walked straight over to Hermione and sat next to her, pulling her into his lap and brushing her hair off her forehead even if she had covered her eyes with her hands.

Ginny watched the couple on the floor as she stood up. Harry had joined her and wrapped her in his arms, knowing without her having to say anything that something was wrong.

"Draco, we're gonna head home. We'll send an owl next time," Harry spoke up. Draco didn't respond as he was murmuring something to Hermione. Harry took Ginny's hand and led her out of the room and over to the fireplace where he threw the floo powder and told her to go first.

When Harry arrived back at Grimmauld Place he saw Ginny sitting on the couch pensively staring at the mantelpiece.

"I didn't even realise," Ginny whispered. Harry frowned and then sat next to his fiancé and waited for her to continue, but she didn't.

"Didn't realise what?" Harry then asked.

"I'm supposed to be her best girl friend and I didn't even realised how Hermione was truly feeling. I thought she was just normal. In fact I was pissed off with her because she went around and didn't cry, didn't wake up screaming, didn't even look like she was upset at all. How wrong was I! She was broken, she locked it all up inside, she refused to let us all see she was weak and stood there as our rock regardless of the fact she was leaning on nothing. She was leaning on thin-fucking-air and not one of us realised!" Ginny burst out as she stood up and began pacing. Harry sat staring at his fiancé, shocked at her outburst. "Hermione Granger locked everything away, she ignored how she was feeling, went back to that stupid school, pretended she was happy and healing with the rest of us, for our friggin necks. She damaged herself for us! And what did we do for her, huh Harry? What the fuck did we do for the woman we all practically owe our lives to? What the fuck did we do?" Ginny screamed. Harry sat in silence as he stared at the flames. He knew Ginny would rage and scream and eventually calm down, if he spoke he would then have all that anger directed at him. After a bout of silence he looked up and found Ginny standing frozen biting her lip as her fists were clenched tight, she was close to tears.

"Gin, the only thing we can do is be here for her now that she needs us. We can't change the past, we can only learn from it and move on, Hermione taught me that when she was trying to help me," Harry whispered as he lifted Ginny's chin and looked her directly in her brown eyes.

"We had better, and don't think for a single second I am not going to lay into the rest of the Weasley's," Ginny growled. Harry knew better than to argue with a very angry Ginny Weasley and he simple nodded and placed a quick kiss on her forehead.

"For now love, I think we should go to bed, you can rage at the Weasley's tomorrow morning," Harry grinned softly as he held her brown eyes with his own. Ginny nodded and softened as she wrapped her arms around Harry's waist.


	12. Morning with Weasleys Lunch with Malfoys

Ginny woke up the next morning and poked her fiancé awake.

"Harry get up," Ginny murmured. Harry grunted in his sleep and rolled over. Ginny was still fairly angry from last night so she grabbed her wand and cast the levicorpus spell at the lazy man in bed next to her. Harry flew into the air suspended by his ankle and woke up with a jolt.

"Ginny!" Harry yelled as he flailed for a few seconds. He did not have a wand so he could only hang there as his fiery red head knelt in front of him.

"Harry," Ginny smiled sweetly.

"Will you let me down please, and when you've done so please explain to me why you've woken me up at… 7am on a Wednesday morning when you know I don't have work," Harry said just as sweetly. Ginny thought of the counter curse and Harry crashed onto the bed. Ginny then skipped out of the way and grabbed a set of robes from the few she had stored in Harry's wardrobe.

"I woke you up at 7am because I need to have an early morning chat with my dear family and I can catch them all at the burrow right about now, because Bill, Fleur and Charlie are home for 2 weeks, George and dad aren't yet leaving for work until half 8 and Percy doesn't count cause he's useless," Ginny called over her shoulder as she entered the adjoining bathroom. There was a few moments silence when suddenly Harry entered the bathroom.

"Can I join you Mrs Potter-to-be?" Harry purred as he wrapped Ginny in his arms. Ginny grinned and pulled Harry with her.

An hour later Ginny was standing at the end of the long Weasley kitchen table and staring at her entire family, bar Ron.

"Ginny why don't you take a seat?" Mrs Weasley asked quietly.

"I'm too pissed off to take a seat. This meeting is about Hermione," Ginny said shortly. As she said it she saw a flicker of anger across her brother's faces.

"What about her?" George deadpanned. Ginny strode across the room and leaned her hands on the table directly opposite George and stared into his blue eyes.

"How dare you! How dare you ask what about her like that?! This is the EXACT problem!" Ginny yelled.

"What's the problem?" Mr Weasley asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You've all forgotten what Hermione did for us! You all believe Rita Skeeter's lies about Hermione and who she is… Don't deny it I can see it in all of your faces!" Ginny growled.

"Ginny you eez goin to av to elaborate on what zee problem eez. Ve cannot read your mind," Fleur chimed in as she stroked her pregnant belly.

"The problem is. That Hermione lost her parents almost two weeks back, and yes she ran away from us, but we should have stood our ground and not let her go. Instead she ran to Draco-fucking-Malfoy. Yes he's changed, but why is she running to former enemies for comfort when she practically has family in all of us! Hermione admitted to me last night about how she felt. Did you know after the war she was just as broken as all of us...?" Ginny growled, but she was interrupted by George.

"I didn't see her crying the days away! I didn't hear Hermione screaming herself hoarse every single night! Hermione didn't lose Fred like we did!" George yelled as he faced his sister.

Although his sister was a good foot shorter than her brother the look she was giving him was a scarily accurate imitation of his mother and he almost visibly cowered from his baby sister.

"She didn't let herself cry because she thought she still had her parents, she thought that they were still alive, she didn't believe her loss was as great as everyone else's and one more person crying would not have helped anyone. So she didn't cry. You didn't hear her screaming herself hoarse every night because she cast a fucking silencing spell on herself George! She was that determined to be everyone else's rock that she silenced her pain. Did you forget that she was tortured by Bellatrix, did you forget that she saw Snape get murdered by Voldemort, did you forget everything that Hermione watched happen in the final battle. Not to mention whatever she faced when she was hunting horcruxes with Harry." Ginny yelled then she dropped her voice to an almost dangerous whisper. "And Hermione didn't lose Fred? You think she didn't consider him a brother. Do you think she doesn't consider all of us family? Don't you dare think that! We are Hermione's family. Regardless of blood, we, the Weasley's, are Hermione Granger's family. Don't ever forget she was there for you George. She was your rock and she was leaning on absolutely nothing. She was supporting herself for you. FOR YOU!" Ginny spat. Her voice gaining in volume till she was practically screaming at her brother. Harry caught her arm and then pulled Ginny against his chest. But Ginny wasn't finished.

"Don't you ever forget what that girl has done for us, she's broken and not a single one of you have sent her an owl. I think it's high time we become the shoulders to lean on and so help me if you don't I will hex every one of you. Including you mom!" Ginny growled then she turned and walked out of the Burrow, slamming the door behind her as she left her family to their thoughts.

"Do you think that was necessary?" Harry murmured as he followed after her quickly.

"Do not make me start on you Harry James Potter. It was perfectly necessary," Ginny growled as she reached the apparition point and took Harry's hand before apparating with him back to Grimmauld Place.

Hermione woke up lying in her own bed next to Draco, she didn't even have that moment of confusion as to who was in her bed now, she knew who she would be waking up next to and it calmed her funnily enough. She slowly reached out and took her wand in her hand and cast a quick spell over Draco to shift him into a deeper sleep long enough for her to get out of the bed. Then she slowly moved out from under his arm and rolled off the bed. Quietly she padded over to the wardrobe and withdrew a set of green robes and a tank top and light trousers. Then she took the necessary things for a shower into Draco's room to get dressed.

Half an hour later Draco found Hermione in the kitchen side of his flat and he crept up behind her and pulled her against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her small waist.

"Morning," Draco whispered into her hair by her ear.

"Morning Draco," Hermione whispered before she turned around in his arms and looked up at him.

"If you go out you may want to cast a concealment charm on this," Draco muttered as he ducked his head to place a kiss on Hermione's slender neck, right above the biggest red mark on her neck. Hermione jumped in his arms and he chuckled before bringing his hand to her chin. Only as he went to lower his lips to hers she pulled back and turned around, manoeuvring out of his embrace. Biting his lip to avoid making any sound Draco moved away and sat down on his sofa.

"I'm going to the daily prophet. Breakfast's on the table Draco," Hermione murmured quietly. Draco didn't react until he heard the pop of her apparition. Then he let out a hiss of breath and rested his head back against the sofa as he groaned. He should have known that yesterday was only a lapse in her judgment and a combination of alcohol plus a good date.

Hermione had apparated to phone box that was the visitor's entrance to the ministry of magic completely unaware of Draco's inner turmoil, and as she began to sink below the floor she tried not to think about the last time she had been in the phone box and heading to the ministry. As soon as the doors were open she marched off in the direction of the elevators and would have continued past if she hadn't caught a picture of herself on the front of a daily prophet. She quickly glamour charmed herself to have blonde curly hair and walked over to the man selling them and bought one before sitting down on a bench.

**Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy Dating?**

_By Rita Skeeter_

_A few days ago Hermione Granger was revealed to be the Wizarding world's most deceiving witch with her hidden drinking habits and her overdose. There was also speculation over the fact she is living with Draco Malfoy, former death eater and quite possibly, his father's biggest disappointment. I say disappointment because it has been revealed that rather than man up and take his father's place as the head of his father's company. Draco Malfoy has passed it over and for the time being is living solely off the Malfoy fortune. But not only has he passed over the late Lucius Malfoy's company, he has also been spotted on a date with the muggleborn princess herself._

_Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were always at each other's throats back at Hogwarts, it was a common fact. Draco Malfoy the Slytherin Prince and Hermione Granger the Gryffindor princess were school rivals, with Hermione coming just a couple of marks above Draco in every subject they had together. So our readers will ask, what on earth is Hermione doing in a stunning black strapless dress having dinner at an Italian restaurant with Draco Malfoy? And not only having dinner, but flirting and having a good time with him too._

_I very much doubt that Draco's mother, who will very soon no longer be a Malfoy, is happy with this amazing turn of events, and I doubt that the Weasley's and her fellow muggleborns are entirely impressed with Hermione's new dating habits. Only time will tell what happens with this unorthodox couple._

Hermione let out a laugh as she folded the paper. Skeeter hadn't been able to get much on their actual date but as Hermione's eyes fell on the photograph she couldn't help but gasp a bit. The photo had been taken when Hermione had looked up at Draco and given him the shy smile before Draco took her hand, and played that moment over and over again. She almost didn't recognise herself as she stared at the girl on the front page. She had thick sheets of black hair and the black of her dress made her creamy skin almost glow, while Draco looked as handsomely sex god-like as he usually did. The article was for once, probably not that far off correct but if the article and pictures in her bag had anything to do with it Skeeter probably would not be writing for anywhere ever again. Folding the paper, she placed it back in her bag and made her way over to the elevators where she headed to the 5th floor for the Daily Prophet.

When she arrived there she saw people flitting between offices and paper practically everywhere and slowly she made her way through the people to an office that said "The Editor" in big bold writing. Remembering her manners as always, she knocked the door and waited to hear the word "enter" before she pushed open the door.

"What do you want?" The person snapped as they hammered on a keyboard. Hermione cancelled her glamour charm and frowned at the bald man with the wiry glasses on his face.

"I have an article for you."

"You know the drill, take it to next door for checking!" The man snapped.

"I'm sorry Sir but I actually do not know the drill," Hermione replied. She was trying to keep her temper in check but the man she was talking to was pushing it.

"Sweet Merlin, Hermione Granger?" The man questioned as he looked up and froze. Hermione tried not to react at the mention of her last name but she still winced.

"Yes Sir, but I would prefer it if you just call me Hermione," Hermione grimaced.

"Of course, now you say that you have an article for me?" The man questioned, all smiles now he realised who was in his office.

"Yes, one I think you will take quite an interest in," Hermione smirked. Then she withdrew the sheet of parchment she had written her article on and handed it across.

The editor took it greedily and started to read, as he was reading his grin slid into an expression of shock and when he finished he looked up at Hermione. His general facial expression was a polite one, but Hermione could see the greedy glint in his eye.

"You're telling me that Rita Skeeter is an animagus?" The man whispered. Hermione simple smiled. "You know I cannot print this without proof."

"And I have it," Hermione replied as she took the photographs from her bag. "My dinner date with Draco Malfoy was a ruse to lure Rita Skeeter out in her animagus form. You will understand that I cannot divulge how I obtained the photographs of course but there is my proof," Hermione smirked. The man then broke into the widest smile she'd seen on him since she's stepped through the door.

"You have just made my day, Rita Skeeter is making my life unbearable. I am the editor, yet she is slowly getting more and more of editor's privileges such as the right to process certain articles. Which is why you've ended up in the paper twice without your permission," The editor growled.

"I'm happy to be of assistance," Hermione smiled.

"So name your sum," The editor said in a very business-like voice.

"I don't need a sum. I just want Rita Skeeter to get what's coming to her. As long as she gets what she deserves without disappearing off the face of the planet as a beetle, well I'll be happy with that," Hermione smiled as she rose to leave.

"It shall be front page of tomorrow's news I promise you this. And thank you Hermione," The man smiled.

"No thank you Mr…?"

"Mr James."

"Thank you Mr James," Hermione smiled as she shook his hand before turning around and walking out of the office.

Hermione arrived home around fifteen minutes later and found a message from Draco on the kitchen table.

_Mi,_

_I've gone to meet Mother at The Three Broomsticks, if you get home and I'm not there come and meet me, my mother has been hounding me to bring you to meet her._

_Draco_

Hermione sighed as she read the letter but apparated to The Three Broomsticks and looked around. She couldn't see the white blonde heads of Draco and his mother so she found Pansy.

"Pansy!" Hermione grinned excitedly. Pansy turned around and gasped as she saw one of her best friends standing there grinning at her when not more than 3 weeks ago she had been a wreck.

"Sweet Salazar Hermione you made me jump, how are you?" Pansy asked with a smile.

"I am… I'm okay I think, I wouldn't say I'm perfect, but Draco's helping me I guess. I still have my moments," Hermione smiled. Pansy swept her friend into a hug. "How's the little one anyways?" Hermione asked when she pulled away from her friend and indicated her still flat stomach.

"I have no idea. I know I only found out 2 weeks ago, but Blaise and I only stopped using contraception around a month before, turns out I'm actually 10 weeks. Somewhere along the way it didn't work I'd assume," Pansy sighed as he hand ghosted over her stomach.

"And you're not mad or anything?"

"Well no, I mean if something had happened and we didn't want it to I could understand but we're both ecstatic. You should see Blaise when it comes to shopping with me. He somehow always drags me into the baby department and is showing me little baby boots and little baby things. He hopes for a girl, I want a boy," Pansy grinned. Hermione laughed at the image of manly Blaise cooing over little baby shoes.

"Draco left me a note to meet him and his mother here," Hermione smiled when her laughter had died down.

"They're in a private room out back… And talking about the Dragon, did you happen to leave those marks on his neck Mi?" Pansy smirked as she led Hermione towards the back door. Hermione blushed and it didn't escape Pansy's notice. "I thought so," Pansy snickered as she pushed the door open.

"You found my note then," Draco grinned as Hermione stepped through the door. Hermione found Draco with her eyes and nodded with a smile as he walked up to her and hugged her before offering her the other seat between himself and his mother. Hermione then noticed Narcissa Malfoy, who was sat there looking as regal and composed as ever dressed in robes of deep sapphire.

"Mrs Malfoy," Hermione smiled in greeting.

"Hermione, please call me Narcissa, I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not long for being a Malfoy," Narcissa smiled warmly. Hermione almost visibly relaxed as the woman smiled, then she took a seat and looked between Draco and Narcissa. It appeared that Draco had got his good looks from Narcissa, as the woman was a true beauty in every sense of the word and when she smiled she looked positively angelic. Lucius Malfoy wasn't even half as good looking at Draco even if he had looked like his father when he was a boy.

"So Mother, you wanted to call us both here, was there a reason?" Draco asked politely. Narcissa nodded as she raised a glass of water to her lips.

"Carlos has proposed to me and as I am old, I do not wish to have a large wedding, maybe just a small thing with a few close friends and family," Narcissa grinned proudly. Hermione dropped her eyes to the ring on Narcissa's ring finger and noticed how beautiful it was. Made of a thin silver band that looked like two ropes intertwined with a simple sapphire stone set in the middle.

"It's beautiful," Hermione whispered.

"Thank you," Narcissa grinned warmly.

"Uhm Narcissa, I understand why Draco is here but I'm not sure why I'm here," Hermione said hesitantly. Narcissa let out a light laugh as she looked between her son and the woman who was staying with him.

"Hermione, my son was never too good with concealment spells or vanity spells for that matter," Narcissa smiled as she indicated Draco's neck where a particularly harsh red mark stood out. Hermione looked over at the man himself who looked outwardly cool and collected but Hermione could see the very slight embarrassed flush across his face.

"Mother please," Draco pleaded smoothly. Narcissa laughed as she took in the two blushing teenagers then she turned to Hermione.

"Hermione, Draco may not have told you so I will tell you, and you are a bright girl so you've probably sussed him already. Draco here, has feelings for you, which means that I want to get to know you and I'm inviting you to my little wedding," Narcissa smiled.

"There's no nee…" Hermione started but Narcissa cut her off.

"Dear I have invited you, no arguments," Narcissa repeated. Hermione nodded with a weak smile and Narcissa turned to Draco. "Draco, I'm inviting Karelia Zabini, her son and his wife, you of course and Hermione while Carlos is inviting a couple of friends. It shall be very small and shall happen in a few weeks. We were planning to hold it at Carlos's manor. And Malfoy Manor is no longer home to me," Narcissa explained. Draco nodded but leant forwards at the suddenness of the wedding.

"Mother why are you getting married so soon?" Draco asked. Narcissa smiled as she rested her right hand on top of Draco's.

"Because it feels right, you know me well enough to know that Carlos could not force the date on me. Do not worry, I know I am making the right decision," Narcissa smiled, but Hermione noticed something Draco didn't as Narcissa moved her left hand under the table to surreptitiously rest on her lower stomach.

Lunch with Narcissa and Draco passed quickly and when Draco went to pay the bill Hermione turned to Narcissa.

"Uhm Narcissa, forgive me for asking, but are you by any chance…" Hermione left the question in the air and Narcissa raised a delicate eyebrow at Hermione.

"Pregnant?" Narcissa whispered. Hermione nodded and Narcissa inclined her head ever so slightly.

"Why haven't you told Draco?" Hermione asked.

"I feel if he knew before the wedding then he may form a dislike of Carlos when there is in truth nothing to dislike," Narcissa answered. "I beg of you not to say anything to Draco until I feel the need to tell him." Hermione looked into the big baby blue eyes of Draco's mother and nodded, she couldn't say no to that woman even if she wanted to. Then Draco came back and offered a hand to first his mother, then Hermione.

"Where to now Draco?" Hermione asked as she raised a hand to his neck and thought the concealment charm. Draco, who had felt the flutter of magic across his skin grabbed Hermione's right hand.

"Did you just?" Draco left the question open and Narcissa who came up next to Hermione nodded as she looked at Draco's neck.

"You can do wandless magic Hermione?" Narcissa asked almost in awe.

"Um only minor things, it's something I was working on before I found out about my parents," Hermione answered shyly, finding the words left her throat easily as she felt Draco interlace their fingers.

"Have I ever told you, you're an amazing witch," Draco murmured into Hermione's ear as he brushed his lips across her cheek. Draco's voice sent flutters through Hermione's stomach and she could almost feel an electric tingle across her cheek from where Draco had kissed her. Then she took note of Narcissa who was standing a mere few feet away and watching the pair with a smile, and she blushed deeply. Narcissa and Draco chuckled at this, as Draco moved away without letting go of her hand, and opened the door.

"I was about to head to the ministry, I've got a meeting with the head of the law enforcement department to talk about becoming a lawyer," Draco spoke up as they headed through the main area to the door, waving at Pansy as they passed.

"You want to become a lawyer?" Hermione asked slightly shocked.

"Yeah, but not just a magical one, a  
muggle one too. I haven't really taken you outside of my flat but it's actually a muggle building, hence why, it's fitted with electricity," Draco smiled as they headed in the direction of an apparition point.

"Do you plan to take me outside your flat?" Hermione asked with a smile as she nudged Draco. Draco looked down at the small witch as he stood his ground. With a grin he pulled her to a stop and placed his hands on her shoulders as he turned her to look at him.

"Did you want to?" Draco then asked.

"Maybe you could take me for a muggle ice cream and a walk?" Hermione suggested with a coy smile.

"Your wish is my command," Draco grinned as he offered his hand again. Hermione took it with a smile only to poke him in the side with her wand and run up to Narcissa leaving Draco to chase her after a ticklish yell.


	13. Ice-Cream

"Why are there so many people in there for one assessment?" Hermione asked Narcissa quietly. Narcissa crossed her ankles and tried to make herself comfortable on the hard wooden chair outside the Minister's office.

"Because he's a Malfoy, he is his father's spitting image and if you intimidate him, puts on a perfect imitation of his father's personality," Narcissa murmured back. Hermione wriggled in her seat as she thought about Narcissa's words.

Lucius had always had a cold, sneering personality, the same personality Draco had shown when at Hogwarts, but if Draco only showed that side of himself when he was intimidated, had herself, Harry and Ron come across as intimidating when they were at Hogwarts? Hermione shook her thoughts from her head and decided to address Narcissa's other comment with a small smirk.

"I think Draco looks more like you now he is older, his father never struck me as good looking," Hermione said as her smirk became broader. Narcissa let out quiet laugh just as a Hermione spotted the messy, raven coloured hair of her best friend weaving between the people in the corridor.

Quickly she jumped up and stood in front of the door.

"Identification please," Hermione said sternly as Harry rushed up to her. In his flustered state he quickly reached for his wand and was only stopped by Hermione's laughter.

"Mione?" Harry gawped.

"Harry?" Hermione imitated him before laughing. "What are you doing here, I thought today was your day off?" Hermione then questioned with a serious demeanour.

"I was called to an assessment of someone," Harry groaned as he pushed his ever present circular glasses up his nose.

"You have got to be kidding me, this is getting fucking ridiculous," Hermione snarled, before she turned on her heel and marched through the door.

The sight that met Hermione had her gasping and very close to tears.

"Miss Gr-,"Kingsley started, but Hermione cut him off.

"What the HELL are you doing?!" Hermione yelled as she surveyed the scene. Draco was sat in a straight backed chair, two burly looking aurors stood behind him holding their wands at the ready. Kingsley was sat behind a desk with his hands flat on the desk and next to him stood the head auror and a second man who was moving his hand towards his pocket clutching a phial. In anger, Hermione flicked her fingers at the man and the phial he had been trying to conceal flashed over to her. The sudden movement made the two burly aurors jump and face her, pointing their wands in her face.

"Lower your wands please," Hermione growled as she raised the phial and looked at it. The liquid was clear and she started to assume the worst, as she uncorked it she took a quick sniff and her eyes narrowed. "_Veritaserum_, you've given him Veritaserum?!" Hermione whispered, her voice escalating into a shout.

"Hermione please calm down, it's not what you think," Kingsley said in that deep voice of his as he ordered the men to lower their wands with a hand signal.

"Why should I calm down, why are you force feeding him Veritaserum, and yes it's obvious you force fed him. What has he done in the past year that makes you feel the need to force feed him this shit! He came in here because he wants to be a lawyer, he wants a job, but instead you force feed him this crap!" Hermione hissed. Harry touched Hermione's hand softly and only then did she feel her anger start to ebb. Kingsley noticed this and moved around his desk to stand in front of Hermione. The way he stood made him outwardly appear as if he cared, made him appear as if he was sorry for what he had done, but Hermione could tell that he was only standing in front of her to remind her of his height and power and intimidate her.

"Hermione," Kingsley murmured. "You should know this is procedure."

"Why is it procedure?" Hermione growled.

"He's an ex-death eater," Kingsley said patronisingly. Hermione took a step back and then walked around Kingsley and knelt in front of Draco who was staring into space at nothing.

"Draco can you hear me?" Hermione asked softly. Draco's eyes fixed on hers and she saw a flicker of his true consciousness before the potion took over.

"Yes," Draco said in a monotone. Hermione bit her lip as she touched his hands then held them.

"Are you okay?" Hermione then asked.

"I am not truly okay, nor am I ill," Draco said in a monotone. Hermione looked up at Kingsley and then back at Draco's hands, tightening her grip on them. Frowning in concentration, she sent a shock of her own magic through him from her right hand.

What she could do was a strange piece of magic as no witch or wizard in all her reading had been able to send their magic through another being and retain control of it and, it was incredibly rare to be able to do wandless magic. Hermione could feel her own pulsating magic in Draco's hand as if she was inside Draco's body, but she quickly began to speed the magic through him searching for the potion and pulling it along when she found it. Once she had it all in one spot she tightened her grip on Draco's hand and closed her eyes before throwing another shock of magic straight at the offending potion and neutralising it.

Hermione felt Draco stir in her hands and she quickly brought her magic back through his body to his right hand which she held in her left. Absorbing the magic back she opened her eyes to find the liquid silver orbs she loved staring at her. With a shy smile she stood up and offered her hand to Draco, and without a word she pulled Draco from the office to where Narcissa stood nervously.

"Draco whatever's the matter?" Narcissa asked as she took in the greyish tinge to her son's complexion.

"Veritaserum," Hermione growled, before she tightened her grip on Draco's waist, took Narcissa's hand and apparated them away to a muggle park.

Upon landing Draco felt a bag be conjured for him and he threw up into it before vanishing it and resting his back against a tree and groaning as he looked up through the leaves.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked from close by him. Draco cut his eyes down to the small witch rocking on her heels next to him.

"I could be better if I'm honest." Draco drawled. Hermione chuckled as she took his hand.

"You'll live," Narcissa smirked. Draco looked at his mother with sad eyes and she stepped up to him and embraced him. "The ministry is wrong in the way they treat you, you are not your father Draco, and just because this path has not worked, does not mean the muggle path will not," Narcissa murmured. Draco just rested his head on his mother's shoulder as he tried not to cry, then he felt Hermione squeeze his hand and all desires to cry faded as he remembered what she had done.

"I felt you," Draco whispered. Hermione blinked, confused and then a light switched on and she blushed.

"What do you mean Draco?" Narcissa questioned as she looked from Draco's awed face, to Hermione's embarrassed one.

"Hermione put her magic in me and controlled it enough to capture and destroy the potion in my system," Draco mused. Narcissa looked at Hermione in shock and Hermione looked down at her feet.

"Hermione?" Narcissa questioned.

"I don't know why I can do it, I just can. I discovered it 2 years ago when I was with Harry and Ron after Ron had been splinched. I gave him dittany but I was worried and I guess my magic was a bit haywire so I when I touched him I felt my magic slide into him. I wanted so badly to heal him internally, I knew I could do that, but what if something went wrong. There's always a risk," Hermione sighed as she rubbed her forehead in worry before turning around and facing out of the patch of woods they had landed in to see the sun glinting off the park. It was still August and surprisingly the British summer had been nice and warm for a change instead of raining at every opportunity, so the sight that met Hermione was pleasant until her eyes fell on the spot where she had sat with her parents every year at this time. In their place was a couple with a picnic basket and blanket and as Hermione watched she saw a girl probably slightly younger than herself walk up and take her seat and lounge in the sunlight, taking no notice of the love her Parents were showing for each other and their daughter. Taking everything she had for granted.

Hermione felt her breathing hitch as she watch the scene then she felt Draco's hands on her shoulders, followed by his warm breath against the side of her face as he brought his lips close to her ear.

"It's okay Mi," Draco whispered as Hermione leant back into him. He slid his hands down from her shoulders and wrapped them around her waist. "It's okay to be sad," Draco continued. He felt Hermione freeze in his arms but tightened his grip on her and placed a light kiss on her neck. "I promised I'd be here for you and help you," Draco whispered. Hermione released the breath she had held and then breathed in deeply, but in doing so, it meant her senses were attacked by his cherry scent causing her to have to fight to keep her heart rate and breathing even.

Draco sighed as he let go of the small witch, but as he pulled back she suddenly twisted in his arms and pulled him down to her. Before he could really comprehend her mouth crashed onto his as she kissed him with all the passion he had been longing for since last night. His arms wrapped around the brunette and he pulled her body tight to his as his thoughts became consumed with the witch in his arms. Just then Narcissa cleared her throat delicately and Hermione jumped away from Draco blushing ferociously which caused Draco to laugh throatily.

"It's not funny," Hermione whined as she poked him in the ribs, the childish movement only made Draco laugh harder, which made Hermione stare. She had never seen or heard Draco laugh so much in all the time she had known him, it did wonders for his appearance, making him seem open and light and genuinely happy which at that minute he was and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

When his laughter finally subsided Hermione noticed the family looking at the trio curiously but Hermione firmly turned her back on the onslaught of memories and pain and took Draco's hand.

"So am I going to get that ice cream or are we just going to let a day like this go without it?" Hermione asked. Draco grinned and then directed his hand in a lead the way gesture and Hermione skipped out of the trees towards this little wooden building with queues of muggles outside.

"She's good for you Draco," Narcissa said softly as she observed him watching after Hermione. Draco looked down at his mother and she truly saw how much pain the Veritaserum incident had caused him.

"She's good for me, but am I good for her or even deserving of her? Look at all I did… I picked on her for six years and then took the wrong side in the war, how, after only a year of me being on the straight and narrow, has she come to be so trusting of me? I truly don't deserve that woman," Draco mumbled.

"Draco, firstly do not mumble it is unseemly, secondly, look at how happy she is now, she was a shell of herself, or so you told me, yet now she's smiling and laughing and yes she's still sad, but you're helping her heal. If that doesn't show that you're good for her and you do deserve her then nothing else will," Narcissa said firmly as they walked together.

"You really think so?" Draco asked quietly.

"Draco I know so," Narcissa said pulling her son to a stop. "Look at me." Draco looked down at his mother with his expression guarded. "You deserve happiness and from what I've seen you've found it with that amazing muggleborn witch. Now stop moping ad go and help her get the ice-cream, don't forget my sweet tooth," Narcissa smirked. Draco smirked back and then left his mother under the shade of a tree before loping off after Hermione, gathering her in a bear hug when he reached her. Narcissa watched her son and smiled. She was glad he was happy after all he had been through.

"Hermione you must tell me what this delicious flavour is called," Narcissa gasped as she tried one delicate, experimental lick of the chocolate coloured ice-cream. Draco chuckled as he looked at his mother's alight with her love of all things sweet.

"It's Nutella flavoured mom. Nutella's like chocolate with hazelnuts but I've only ever found it in the muggle world," Draco grinned after he took a lick of his own chocolate and vanilla ice-cream. Hermione nodded in agreement as she lounged next to Draco in the sunlight as she licked her own Nutella flavoured ice-cream.

"You must take me shopping for this stuff Draco," Narcissa insisted. Hermione chuckled as she took in the ever so slight role reversal of mother and son, to daughter and father.

"Mother, it's generally not good for you in large doses," Draco murmured as the same thought Hermione had had ran through his head. Narcissa pouted but then regained her composure and contented herself with sitting on her cloak in the sun.

Shortly after she had stood in the shade of the tree Narcissa had observed that most of the muggles her age were wearing dresses and robes of sapphire blue not only stood out but were extremely warm in the heat, so after making her way over to Draco and Hermione she informed them it would be a good idea to look a bit less conspicuous. Hermione had looked around in shock and then making Draco keep their place, rushed off to the ladies room with Narcissa where she transfigured her green robes into a short green and white summer dress and changed her soft boots into sandals, completing the ensemble with sun hat that had a green ribbon around it. Narcissa copied her, only her dress was slightly longer in length and sapphire blue with small white flowers covering it. When they had returned Draco observed the changes and strolled towards the men's room and transfigured his own silver robes into cut-off jeans and a white tee-shirt, figuring he couldn't go wrong with the pumps he wore, changing only the colour from grey to white.

When he'd met the women he found them smiling as they held the ice-creams and he couldn't help but really admire Hermione. She was his angel, stood there in a short green and white summer dress that complemented her black hair and the creamy coloured skin he could see a lot of at the minute. When he stood next to her and could smell the strange combination of coconut and strawberry it took everything he had to not jump on her and attack her mouth with his.

"So what's next Draco?" Hermione asked after a while of silence. Draco looked over at the witch and caught the sparkle of her chocolate brown eyes.

"I don't know," Draco whispered.

"Why?"

"I know nothing about law, muggles will make me go to university, and I was hoping to get training in the ministry, they're obviously not going to take me, so I need to find a new path," Draco murmured as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Hermione rubbed his arm gently and she felt some of his tension ebb away as he relaxed under the comfort of her touch.

"What's next for you now?" Draco asked.

"I need to see Luna, we scheduled an interview, she was coming back to the flat if it was okay with you," Hermione smiled. She wasn't really asking him for his permission, more like telling him what was going to happen and hoping he would be alright with it.

"I guess that would be alright, do you think we could do the interview together, I feel like we need to explain a fair few things to a lot of people out there, Skeeter really twisted things," Draco sighed, then he looked at his mother. "Mother you mentioned that Malfoy Manor was no longer home to you, what do you mean?" Draco asked.

"There's magic placed on that manor. I was only allowed to live there as I was Lucius's wife, I inherited the Malfoy name, and only Lucius, you and I could invite people to live with us. When Lucius died the magic was bound to you and I, only when I agreed to marry Carlos the magic bound itself to you and I found I could not access anywhere in the manor other than the parlour. So I summoned my belongings and left, once I left I could not enter the gates again so I've been staying at The Three Broomsticks. The manor is waiting for you Draco," Narcissa explained. Draco grimaced and then leant back on his hands.

"I'm going to level the place," Draco growled.

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm going to destroy the manor as it stands and rebuild it. As much as I know I like to live in opulence, the 15 bedrooms, 2 ballrooms, 3 Parlours, 4 studies and dungeons my father added are absolutely useless. I'll level the place and build a more normal sized manor, one that actually feels like home, and maybe sell off some of the excess land that's left," Draco mused as he let the sun play on his face. Narcissa and Hermione looked at Draco with a mix of shock and a slight bit of awe on their faces.

"You will defy your ascendants?" Narcissa questioned. Draco just shrugged.

"I'm not defying them. The only one I have defied is my father and his wishes for me," Draco answered. Narcissa nodded her head at her son with a smirk on her face, proud of him in a way his father had never been. Draco noted her pride and he felt a warm happy feeling swell inside of him, a feeling he had so far felt only when he was with Hermione.

Hermione then leant towards Draco concern on her face.

"Draco, you should let your mother stay with us," Hermione said quietly. Draco looked down at Hermione with a questioning gaze.

"My flat only has two rooms," Draco reminded her.

"You're a wizard are you not?" Hermione smirked. Draco's mouth opened slightly as he blushed, but Hermione continued. "Even if you don't want to modify your flat even more I could always stay in your room and let your mother have the spare. It's not like I haven't slept with you before."

"If it would make you two uncomfortable then I am happy to stay at the Inn," Narcissa offered but before she had even finished Draco was shaking his head.

"It wouldn't make us uncomfortable mother and you can't stay at The Three Broomsticks on your wedding night," Draco countered. Narcissa knew that her son and Hermione had cornered her and she simply smiled graciously.

"We should retrieve my belongings sooner rather than later then," Narcissa said and she took the last few dainty licks from the top of her ice-cream and frowned.

Hermione noticed that both Narcissa and Draco were behaving as if their ice creams were finished as they could no longer reach the ice-cream and Hermione remembered the difference.

"You can bite into the cone," Hermione stated with a demonstration. Ice-creams in the wizard world, didn't come in cones, but were made with a no-mess charm and a freeze charm to contain the ice-cream so you could hold it in a cone shape and keep licking without actually getting a mess on your hands. Draco looked over at Hermione and then with a quick glance at his mother, took an experimental bite of the cone. Narcissa waited to see Draco's happy reaction before she too tried it. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at Draco's enthusiasm.

"What?" Draco asked as he looked at Hermione. Him turning to face her only made Hermione laugh even harder as she noticed that Draco had ice-cream on the corners of his mouth and somehow on the tip of his nose.

"You have a little bit of ice-cream," Hermione started, as she indicated her own mouth and nose. Draco raised his hand to the corner of his mouth and when found ice cream which he licked off his finger, before licking the corners of his mouth quickly before settling back to eat his ice cream. "You have ice cream on your nose Draco," Hermione then sniggered before she knelt up and wiped it away.

The trio remained in the park for a further half an hour before they finally made their way to a secluded alley where they apparated to The Three Broomsticks. Once inside Draco left Hermione with Pansy to help his mother but not before he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. Hermione blushed crimson as he walked off and Pansy raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mi is there anything you want to discuss?" Pansy asked, her voice loaded with accusation and Hermione placed her face in her hands.

"You're not going to let me wiggle out of this are you?" Hermione moaned hopefully.

"Not a chance," Pansy smirked as she pulled her hands away.

"What do you want to know?" Hermione finally asked as her face returned to its normal cream colour.

"Are you his girlfriend?" Pansy asked.

"Is that all?" Hermione questioned, slightly shocked.

"That's all I need to know," Pansy shrugged.

"I don't know. He's been treating me sweetly, we haven't argued since that first day and our pseudo date was lovely, but I've only known him a week," Hermione murmured.

"No, you've known him for seven years," Pansy corrected.

"But not like this," Hermione countered. Pansy shrugged her shoulders in a 'same difference' kind of way and Hermione didn't say anything.

If she was honest she'd been thinking of Draco in that way since the first article from Rita Skeeter had come out, but was she ready to be someone's girlfriend? Was she really healed enough to love someone? Hermione groaned as if in pain and Pansy smirked as she wandered away. Draco suddenly appeared, closely followed by his mother. He wasn't carrying any suitcases though.

"I thought you were helping your mother carry suitcases?" Hermione questioned.

"Wizard remember?" Draco smirked as he waved his wand between his fingertips. Hermione blushed slightly but then shook her head as a small grin graced her face.

"We should get going; Luna will want to meet us soon. I told her to meet us around about 3pm," Hermione murmured as she checked her muggle wristwatch. Draco nodded and he waved goodbye to Pansy and wandered outside, closely followed by his mother and Hermione. Once outside, he apparated to his flat with his mother and Hermione followed shortly after.

Hermione and Draco had been back at the flat for no more than ten minutes before Luna was ringing the doorbell. Narcissa was packing away her things into the spare bedroom so didn't hear the bell while Draco and Hermione were sat on the kitchen counter talking quietly where the sound of the doorbell made them both jump.

"Luna," Hermione grinned as she opened the door to greet the tall slim blonde with the huge eyes.

"Hermione," Luna smiled dreamily as she wandered in on Hermione's request. She stopped once she was inside and looked around, eventually spotting Draco leaning nervously against the kitchen counter. "Draco," Luna smiled.

"Hullo Luna," Draco greeted as he moved over to Hermione.

"So Luna where do you want to do the interview?" Hermione asked. Luna turned around and faced the couple.

"Oh don't you two look sweet," Luna grinned. Hermione blushed as Draco looked down. "And anywhere is fine, but why not on the sofa?" Hermione and Draco moved over to the sofa and sat next to each other and offered a chair to Luna, who sat down and withdrew some of her notes and a muggle recording device which she pressed play on.

"So Mione, you told me there were many unfair untruths written about you in Rita Skeeter's first article, so I brought together a list of questions to ask about the first article. Firstly, she mentioned that your parents died at the beginning of your seventh year, but all appeared well back then, besides the Voldemort killing mission. So do you want to tell me what really happened with your parents?" Luna asked as her voice lost some of its dreamy quality as she became business-like and efficient. Hermione recoiled into Draco's warmth and he put an arm around her. Drawing on his strength she took a deep breath and prepared herself to speak about her parents for the first time in almost two weeks.


	14. Revenge Stories

Hermione held her breath in for a few seconds and then let it out slowly through her mouth and thankfully Luna didn't seem to mind the wait and was neither writing anything nor glaring at Hermione.

"I understand It's quite painful Mione, but don't forget I am your friend you can talk to me," Luna then spoke up dreamily. Hermione looked up and looking at her wide eyed friend caused her to suddenly relax.

"I'll go right back to the end of sixth year. Harry told us he was searching for horcruxes through our seventh year at Dumbledore's funeral. Me and Ron refused to let him go alone, he gave us the option to turn away at a point in first year and we used the fact we stayed right behind him as proof to show we weren't going anywhere through seventh. I knew that disappearing with Harry when Voldemort was after him was a real risk, not just to me, but to… my… my parents as well. They were muggles; they had an even weaker chance of standing up to Voldemort and his death eaters than the muggleborns and half-bloods that he targeted in our own community. So I tried to save them. I cast a memory charm on them, removing me from their memories and planting a false one that they have always desired to go to Australia. I figured Australia was far enough away that they would be safe," Hermione whispered. She knew that a whispered voice would be hard to hear on the tape, but it was all she could manage when she was speaking about something so hard to understand. Draco rubbed soft circles into her shoulder as she summoned the strength to speak again.

"There was more?" Luna prompted gently. Hermione nodded and breathed deeply before opening her mouth again.

"When the war was over I put an enquiry into the ministry to ask them to find Wendell and Monica Wilkins, refusing to do it myself so I could be there for the Weasley's. I didn't really mourn myself as I felt having my entire family alive made my loss less than the Weasley's who had just lost a son and brother. I went back to Hogwarts and broke up from there early July. Two weeks ago on Friday the 3rd August I was called to the ministry and was told that my parents didn't make it to Australia, they died in a plane crash heading over there, by the time of the crash I was already running with Harry and I had no access to any newspaper, let alone a muggle one. I can't really tell you what happened after that because until I saw you on the Wednesday I was in and out of consciousness, losing whole days on the occasion. I was diagnosed with acute depression that caused momentary stupors when I suppressed my emotions," Hermione spoke. Strangely enough the more she spoke the stronger she felt until she was no longer whispering but talking normally, although still feeling quite sad. Luna nodded to herself and then made a few quick notes on her page before reading the next question.

"Moving onto something a bit lighter now, why the change in appearance Mione? I mean the black hair and the "revealing clothes", are all a bit anti-Hermione," Luna asked. Hermione grinned as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

"The black hair was all about not being so recognisable, but the straight hair is a personal preference. I wanted some time without the unruly curls; I didn't want to have to think about my hair any more than just acknowledging that I needed to pull a comb through it and that being it. The revealing clothes are not something I make a regular of. The night I went out was the first time I'd drunk since the end of war party. I don't make a habit of drinking excessively; in fact I've only done so twice in my life so far. That night I went back to my parent's house although it was my house at the time. I wanted it destroyed, I didn't want anyone to live there full stop. To vanish it, or blow it up when it was in a muggle village would be too noticeable, the only logical explanation for a house being destroyed in the muggle world is a fire, so that's what I caused. I believe their fire crew put it down to arson," Hermione smiled. Luna simply nodded and jotted something on her page and then paused before jotting something else down a little lower down.

"You just answered my fifth question about questionable drinking habits, so I should probably tell you my next questions. I was going to ask one of you about your living arrangements and then ask about the calming draught incident, and then include some of Rita's second article about what's changed between you two and whether you are really dating?" Luna's wide grey eyes examined the proximity of Hermione and Draco as she spoke her last question and noted Hermione's blush in her mind.

"I'll answer the Calming Draught incident question first. I honestly cannot say why I did it. I don't even know myself. I just remember being alone and being tired of being so depressed and as I was watching TV I started shaking, which I recognised as the onset of a stupor, so I took a calming draught and it did nothing so I took another. Before I knew it Draco was back and I was happier than I'd ever felt. I don't know why I kept going after the second one which stopped the shakes, but I was told that I passed out and my heart and lungs failed on me. It was the stupidest thing I have ever done," Hermione answered solemnly. Draco reflexively clenched his other hand out of Hermione's line of sight. That had been the day he had almost lost her, the same day he realised how much he cared for her. Luna noticed his strange reaction but did nothing more than acknowledge his presence with a flick of her eyes to him and back again.

"So, I hope you don't mind Hermione, but can I ask Draco on living arrangements?" Luna asked as she turned her wide grey eyes on the man. Hermione nodded and smiled at Draco who returned a slight smirk.

"What do you want to know Luna?"

"Why you chose to bring Hermione to your muggle flat after her night out, and why you chose to let her stay, why she's still here now?" Luna rattled off. Draco leant back into his sofa and frowned as he thought of how to answer Luna's questions.

"When I saw her out I already knew of what had happened because I met her in The Three Broomsticks earlier the same day, she was working as a waitress in disguise when she ran into me. She almost had another stupor but instead went to sleep after refusing to let me leave her after bringing her back to the inn safely. When she woke we argued as anyone would expect but when I apparated away I resolved to look out for her. I didn't realise I would have to do that so soon. I saw her in the club with a wizard looking not even the tiniest bit drunk while Hermione was nowhere close to sober, so I refused to let her leave, and then took her home with me where I put her to bed with me to keep an eye on her throughout the night. I have been that drunk before and waking up because you've choked on your own vomit is not nice," Draco smirked. Hermione frowned at him but he simply smirked wider and continued. "In the morning she made breakfast and then I noticed her looking through the housing section in the Daily Prophet but I didn't think it was wise for her to go and find somewhere for her to live while she had no job and was still on shaky ground. She's still here now because I gave her an open invitation and she obviously enjoys my company," Draco finished with an arrogant smirk.

"Don't be such an arrogant ass Draco," Hermione scolded and Luna's eyebrows raised as she noticed the light banter between the two.

"No really Luna, I enjoy her company and I'm glad she stayed, regardless of whether she's a muggleborn or not. Blood status stopped meaning much to me when my father went to Azkaban. Everyone's blood is red, we all bleed the same way, I feel pureblood prejudices need to stop," Draco said seriously. Luna could only stare at Draco for a few seconds before she recovered herself.

"Quite a different Draco Malfoy to the one we all know and love to hate I see," Luna stated. Draco winced slightly.

"A very different Draco Malfoy if you knew me during my school days," Draco murmured soberly. Hermione ran her hand over Draco's fist in his lap softly.

"I hope you won't mind if I write about it, but I can't help but notice your…connection. What has changed between you? Because what I'm seeing is nothing like the shouting and screaming at each other that used to go on during Hogwarts," Luna smiled. Hermione and Draco laughed and then looked at each other before looking at Luna. "We haven't had a bad morning yet. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw a few hex marks on the walls after we have one," Draco snickered.

"Hex marks that he has made because we all know I don't miss," Hermione replied with a sharp smirk. Draco poked her side quickly and Hermione yelped before glaring at him.

"Everything's different now I guess. He's been there for me when I didn't want others around. Harry and Ginny were there for me, but Draco was different, I didn't know him well and the thought of getting to know the new caring Draco Malfoy was enough to make me really open my eyes for even the briefest of moments. I needed him then and now we're close," Hermione answered. Draco looked blankly at Hermione and then looked at Luna who was watching him.

"I changed in the war. I had to watch as Hermione was tortured by Bellatrix, to do something would have cost us both our lives, but hearing her screams and seeing her pain, it made me want to never again witness that amount of pain in anyone, not even Ron Weasley. So drawing on that, when I saw Hermione she was in pain once more and I needed to do something so I'm helping her, and she's right we are close now."

Luna nodded satisfied as she consulted her notes and jotted little things here and there on different lines.

"So you're not dating?" Luna then pressed. Both Hermione and Draco shook their heads, Draco a little less vigorously than Hermione, something Luna noticed but chose not to note. "Do you want to say why you passed over the company Draco?"

"It was just something I needed to do. I've never wanted to be a part of my father's company, I've never wanted to follow his plans for me, so at the first opportunity I stopped following orders and started living _my_ life how _I_ want to," Draco answered. Luna simply smiled to herself and then looked at the last questions on her list but scribbled them out.

"Finally, I figured you've received some backlash from the first article. Draco I feel you've addressed your stance on the pureblood way but Hermione what about you?" Luna said all business and no play.

"Yes actually. I received a fair few horrible letters from muggleborns and people who generally looked to me to set the bar on their daughters. Muggleborns have spent their lives being oppressed, disregarded and treated like less than dirt by the pureblood scum they spoke about. Yet what they said to me was no better than what certain purebloods have said to me in the past. You can't accuse someone of being scum and then behave the same way. Like Draco said, all blood is red and we all bleed the same. For those that look to me to set the bar for their daughters, you should all find a new role model. I am nothing special, I've been told I'm bright, but that's because I lived my life in a book and built my home in the library. If not for Harry and Ron I would probably be this unknown muggleborn witch, too uptight to have any fun and too bright for my own good. I'm looked up to because I stood next to Harry in a war that he won and not because I did something amazingly brilliant that deserves respect. I am also only human. If they can honestly raise their hands and say they've never been utterly smashed, only then can they judge me on my behaviour on Wednesday of last week. I am however, very sorry that their daughters saw me like that," Hermione spoke fiercely. Luna smiled as she listened to what Hermione had to say. The girl talking sounded like the girl who had spoken in Hogwarts, the girl who had stood up to Umbridge's regime and forced Harry to form the DA. She sounded like Hermione.

"I guess that's it you two. If I'm going to get this out tomorrow I must be on my way now but thank you," Luna smiled dreamily as her natural demeanour came back. Hermione, Draco and Luna stood simultaneously and Hermione hugged her friend.

"No thank _you_ Luna. I'm glad you're doing this for us. Anyone else would have twisted our words all back to front and inside out. Are you sure you don't need paying for this?"

"Honestly Mione. I will make more off Quibbler sales of your interview than you could give me so yes, I'm sure I do not need you to pay me," Luna smiled. Draco stood nervously as Luna's eyes raked over him. "Don't be a stranger Draco," Luna then said dreamily before she collected her things and let herself out.

Both Draco and Hermione stood facing the doorway after Luna had left slightly stunned and were only broken out of it when Narcissa walked out from the spare bedroom.

"Draco dear what was that about?" Narcissa questioned as she waved her wand to summon a book from Draco's library.

"Luna Longbottom has taken over the Quibbler from her father and she was doing an interview," Draco answered as he peered at the title before raising an eyebrow.

"What was she interviewing you for? And don't look at me like that young man," Narcissa smiled.

"Mother you've read the story a thousand times and she wasn't interviewing me per se, she was interviewing Hermione," Draco grinned as he sat down on the sofa and flicked on the TV before changing to a sports channel showing a football match between Man U and Chelsea that had just started. Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw Draco's choice of channel then turned to Narcissa who was watching the box with wide eyes.

"It's a television, a muggle device that they use for entertainment," Hermione explained briefly.

"But there's people in the box," Narcissa mumbled. Draco tipped his head back and caught his mother's eye with a mischievous look in his eye. Narcissa noted the look in his eyes and aimed a swat at the back of his head causing him to duck.

"You understand how we have moving photographs right? Well in the muggle world they can create things like our moving photographs without magic. They call them recordings and once done they can broadcast them to televisions so we can see what they've made. Once it's on our TV it's called a show and you can watch whatever's broadcasting at the time by using the remote that Draco's sat on," Hermione explained, her voice lilting into a soft smile as she noticed Draco. Draco looked over at Hermione and smirked.

"Why are you sat on the remote Draco?" Narcissa sniffed as she moved to sit in an armchair with her book.

"Because Mi is not a big fan of football and likes to take the remote and change it onto these terrible Drama's, Eastenders, Neighbours and Home and Away being three of her favourites yet three of the worst things I've ever witnessed," Draco explained as he smiled sweetly at Hermione. Hermione scowled as she sat down on the other end of the sofa and summoned one of her own books from her beaded handbag in Draco's room.

"They're a refreshing break from the ups and downs of the wizarding world," Hermione sighed as she aimed a soft kick at Draco's leg. Draco pretended he could neither hear nor feel and Hermione scowled deeper as she opened her book.

Until the end of the 90 minute game, including half time, Narcissa, Hermione and Draco sat in relative silence, except for when whatever team Draco was supporting scored. Then he would let out noises of happiness and Narcissa and Hermione would shush him loudly. Only when the game was finished did Draco stand up and offer to make dinner, a sentiment that both Hermione and Narcissa appreciated greatly, until something started to burn.

"Draco what the hell are you burning?" Hermione questioned without looking up from her book. Only when the scent of burning got heavier, did Hermione jump up and run to the kitchen area where she saw Draco trying to stop something from burning without magic. "What are you doing?!" Hermione then yelled as she went to move the man out the way.

"I'm trying to do things the muggle way! How do you do it so easily?" Draco yelled back as he stood his ground.

"I was taught, now move so I can rescue it," Hermione hissed. Draco narrowed his eyes and refused to move anywhere. Then they heard the murmured sound of a spell and the smell of burning disappeared as did the burnt food. Instead the kitchen set about making a meal all by itself causing Hermione and Draco to turn towards Narcissa who was calmly reading.

"If left to you two, the food would have set on fire by now," Narcissa then sniffed with a slight smirk. Hermione scowled at Draco and then ran for the remote getting it just before Draco who refused it up without a fight and set to tickling Hermione. With a squeal Hermione wriggled away from the man and skipped to the other side of the room, leaving Draco on the sofa looking over the top of it sneakily.

Knowing he was up to something Hermione readied her magic for an attack even though she didn't have her wand and just as she did so she felt a tingle across her neck causing her to reflexively swipe her hand through the air summoning a shield that blocked Draco's tickle spell before it hit her. Only the shield caused the spell to ricochet off and head in the direction of Narcissa. Hermione gasped and without conscious control of her doing it a shield sprang up over Narcissa at the last possible second and the spell having hit a second more powerful shield disintegrated. Draco stood gawping at Narcissa for 5 full seconds, giving Hermione enough time to summon her wand from the floor by the couch. Hermione then sent a non-verbal tickling spell at Draco, one he was too slow to block, and he doubled over with laughter, clutching his sides as the spell attacked him.

"Do you give in?" Hermione asked as she picked his wand up off the floor. Draco watched her with tears in his eyes, he wanted to say no, but the tickling was gradually becoming more intense.

"I give in, please, please stop," Draco gasped between breaths and laughter. Hermione let out a quiet chuckle and lifted the spell, and watched Draco as the last vestiges of laughter left his body before he fell limp on the ground. Alarmed Hermione fell to the floor by him and began checking his pulse, only to find that his arms had carefully snaked around her waist and she had no way of getting free. Draco tugged her body towards his and holding her on top of him he kissed her, feeling utterly delighted when she kissed back.

The next morning Hermione woke up in Draco's arms with her head on his chest and she smiled sleepily.

"Good Morning," Draco breathed. Hermione sat up then and looked down at Draco with a small smile. He slowly raised a hand and brushed her hair behind her ear then ran a soft finger across her lips. "Your article should have made the paper today right?" Draco then asked.

"Yes, and Luna's interview," Hermione smiled as she lay back down with her head on her own pillow. Draco turned to face her resting his head on his elbow and watched the sunlight play on her rosy lips.

"Are you sure you don't want your own room Mi?" Draco suddenly asked as he captured the milk chocolate orbs of the beauty next to him with his own grey eyes.

"Not at the minute I don't, at the minute I'm fine," Hermione smiled, then she turned away from him to get out of bed, only to have Draco take hold of her arm and turn her to face him. Slowly he caught her chin and brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly, before pulling away and turning onto his back as he pretended not to see her shiver.

Hermione left the bed and went through to the main room and Draco remained in his bed listening to the sound of the TV drifting through his flat. His mother had always been an early riser and always a curious cat too, he had no doubts at all that his mother had managed to operate the TV in the amount of time they had been asleep. He heard the quiet voices of Hermione and his mother drift through the house, Hermione sounding more and more excited, before she burst back into the room.

"They're here!" Hermione yelled. Draco looked towards the door and chuckled at the sight that met his eyes. Hermione was smiling widely, her eyes alight with all the spark they had held when she was answering a question at school and in her arms she held a copy of the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler along with a handful of personal mail. She skipped over to the bed and plonked herself next to Draco and handed him the prophet to read while she set to reading the Quibbler.

**Rita Skeeter's Bug Problem**

_By Hermione Granger_

_Rita Skeeter, esteemed journalist for the Daily Prophet, rose quickly to the top of her career straight after leaving Hogwarts. She somehow had a knack for finding the juiciest stories and writing them before anyone even had a chance. So after seeing her stellar stories, why would anyone have any reason to doubt the innocence of the young platinum blonde witch?_

_For the first years of her career Rita kept her stories strictly to the truth, not one word of a lie was written, even if her stories may have contained a bit more detail than the sane person would reveal to a journalist. But gradually as society called for a dirtier "truth" Rita's stories became harsher and less on the straight and narrow pathway._

_During my fourth year, as the entire wizarding world knew, the Triwizard Tournament came to Hogwarts, everyone also knew that Harry was chosen as a Hogwarts champion (which was later revealed as one of Voldemort's earlier plots in the second war). During that year Harry came under scrutiny by the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly through none other than Rita Skeeter. Very soon she was making Harry into something that he is not, eventually including myself in the mix in stories written for Witch Weekly about a supposed "love triangle" involving myself, Harry and Victor Krum. None of which was true._

_Rita was eventually banned from Hogwarts grounds shortly after the first task, but yet she still managed to get strange scoops on a personal level about Harry and myself. Curious I began to research how someone could be in a school unseen by anyone except those giving her direct interviews. I came up with theories like as invisibility cloaks and spells, none of which could be true as she would still require proximity to hear the stories. _

_My answer came to me near the end of the year when I remembered that after the second task a "water beetle" was pulled from my hair during a private conversation, a conversation which appeared in an article written by Rita Skeeter. I eventually unearthed that Rita Skeeter is an Animagus. As seen in the pictures on the right, Rita Skeeter's animal form is a beetle with markings around the antennae similar to the shape of her glasses._

_Yet that's not all, not only is Rita Skeeter an animagus, but she is an unregistered animagus, an offence that usually gains the offender a minimum of 5 years in the newly developed Prison of Azkaban. The length of the sentence depends on how the offender used their animagus form, and as Rita Skeeter used hers to spy on people and then spread their personal business about mixed in with a large dosage of untruths, I wouldn't expect her sentence to be a small one._

_Many of you might ask why I didn't tell anyone about this 4 years ago when I found out about it. Well I was 15 and incredibly innocent. I preferred to see the best in people no matter what they did, so I gave her a second chance. I had no reason to be reminded of her until her recent story about me, which told not only a fair few private matters, but twisted them around into a lie. But better late than never._

**_A note from the head auror –_**_ We arrested Ms Skeeter last night at 9:00pm after we were made aware of her whereabouts and she awaits trial although pleads her innocence._

"Damn," Draco whistled. "You write a pretty solid story Mione," Draco then grinned. Only when he looked up his grin vanished as he saw Hermione was not holding the Quibbler but staring at the bunch of personal mail on the bed with tears cascading down her face.


	15. Silent Treatment

"Mione?" Draco questioned as he shifted towards the shaking witch. "Mione what is it?" Draco placed his hands either side of Hermione's face and made her meet his eyes. But when she met them he saw, not a look of utter despair, but a look of happiness and he frowned at her.

"The Weasley's," Hermione smiled through her tears.

"What about them?" Draco asked as he wiped her tears away.

"They…dammit just read them," Hermione smiled as she handed the wad of envelopes to Draco. Draco raised an eyebrow as he saw the letters.

"You want me to read them all?" Draco groaned.

"Fine, just read George's, Mrs Weasley's and Ginny's," Hermione grinned. Draco groaned to himself but quickly found the letters she mentioned.

_Hermione_

_So I should think that you've received a fair few letters from my family. I spoke to them, and yes I spoke nicely. I just told them what you told me, I hope you don't mind that I told them, I just feel like they should know what you did for them and start moving and helping you in the same way you helped us._

_Write back and tell me what they said, Harry is finishing this letter so I have no idea what he's going to write, so tell me if he writes something I should hex him for._

_Love always Ginny_

_Hermione_

_You should know that Ginny had a shouting match with George and yelled at the Weasley's leaving them with a threat, so do not be surprised if all your letters mention Ginny at some point. Also Mione I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't notice what you were going through a long time ago. I've known you since first year and I should have recognised what you were doing and been there for you, but I didn't and for that Mione I am sorry. I'm coming by later so make sure Draco knows._

_P.s when I say later, I know you'll get these in the early morning with your prophet which by the way, I can't wait to read!_

_Love Harry._

"You're telling me that Potter didn't realise you weren't healed?" Draco suddenly sneered. Hermione glanced up at Draco and frowned at him.

"Stop being an ass Draco, no one realised," Hermione whispered. Draco looked up at Hermione and saw her biting her lip nervously and her nervous habit made him want to comfort her and take her for his own at the same time. Draco shook his thoughts from his head and opened Mrs Weasley's letter.

_Hermione_

_Hermione dearest, I am sorry to hear from Ginny how you truly felt and I am deeply ashamed that I didn't realise what you were doing to hide your feelings for my benefit. I am also incredibly sorry for your loss. I feel like I should have done more for you when you first found out, but I shall make up for it._

_Hermione you have always been like a second daughter to me, I will always love you as one of my own and my door will always be open to you no matter what time of the day it is. And good luck with Draco Malfoy, I ran into his mother a couple of days ago. The change in Narcissa is absolutely shocking, she actually smiled at me can you believe it? But if you send your owl I will send you some cakes and things unless you want to pop around and get them._

_Love from Molly_

Draco dropped Mrs Weasley's letter on the bed and fell back laughing so suddenly that Hermione jumped a mile in the air and then glared at him, but her glare only made him laugh harder.

"What pray tell is so funny?" Hermione asked with her hands on her hips.

"Firstly the fact that you're so angry, secondly, the fact Mrs Weasley is shocked that my mother has changed. Losing a psychopathic husband you hold no love for generally changes people like that," Draco said, sobering up quickly as he sat up. Hermione shook her head and turned back to the Quibbler article she was reading. "By the way, what does Molly mean by your owl? Do you have one?" Draco asked.

"I was going to get one before I left The Burrow, but I didn't in the end," Hermione answered before again turning back to her magazine. Draco sighed and turned to George's letter.

_Hermione_

_I'm sorry. Ginny came around yesterday morning and almost hexed some sense into me. I'm not going to do what Charlie and Bill are doing and say sorry, I'm here if you need me. I'm going to tell you the truth._

_To be honest although you helped me, I envied you, I hated you and quite frankly I wanted you gone. Why? Because you were never seen to be crying, you didn't have those permanent red rings around your eyes, you didn't have bags from lack of sleep and everyone woke someone up if they were sharing a room but Ginny told me you slept the night through. Not once did you ever wake up screaming blue murder. I hated that. You acted as if the deaths of Remus, Tonks and Fred just rolled off you without touching you, leaving you standing as perfectly as you had been before they died. You just went from person to person putting pieces together as if we were your favourite jigsaw puzzle. Only nothing could ever fill the void Fred left in the Weasley family picture._

_Yet against all odds you healed us, you helped me, you put me back on my feet and got me running the shop again. You got mom working again, you got her smiling, she stopped losing weight, dad stopped losing hair, Ginny stopped screaming herself awake every night and Harry started sleeping and eating. You worked on us all one by one till we were whole again and then you just slotted in happily._

_But I never could forgive you for being happy or at least okay when we were all broken, and then to see you in the paper with Malfoy. To see that you had run out on us and gone to Malfoy after finally showing you weren't made of stone was the final straw._

_Then Ginny came back and explained. I didn't realise you had silenced yourself before you went to sleep, nor did I realise that you were always using vanity spells to clear the red eyes, or that you thought your loss was less than ours and we needed someone who wasn't crying. Now I know all that I am sorry for what I thought about you._

_You are the bravest, strongest and most selfless person I know and I am proud to call you my sister, so if you ever need me you know where I am._

_Love George._

"That's pretty intense Mi," Draco murmured as he placed the letter next to him on the bed.

"You just read George's letter?" Hermione asked as she looked up. Draco nodded and opened his arms for Hermione who after hesitating for a second climbed back onto the bed and into his warm embrace.

"Well at least you have your Weasley's back on side," Draco said. Hermione couldn't see his face but she could hear the smirk in his voice and she poked him in the side.

"Are you hungry?" Hermione then asked. Draco nodded and let Hermione go so he could get up and pull on a tee-shirt and his joggers. He would normally just wear his joggers or on some days just his boxers, but with his mother in the house he had to be fully dressed.

Hermione skipped out of Draco's room and handed Narcissa the Prophet and the Quibbler before heading over to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Narcissa is there anything you want for breakfast?" Hermione asked over her shoulder.

"I'm fine with whatever you make Hermione," Narcissa answered as she turned off the TV.

Within half an hour Hermione, Draco and Narcissa were sat around Draco's table eating the breakfast Hermione had made and Narcissa had been full of praise for Hermione's muggle cooking.

"Oh by the way, Ginny and Harry will probably stop by later on today. I say them both because they never go anywhere without the other. Narcissa smiled while Draco just nodded.

Yet just as Draco finished his nod the floo lit up in a burst of brilliant green flames and Ginny stepped out gracefully. Harry was right behind her but he managed to fall out of the fireplace and almost fall, causing Draco to snort.

"Eight years of using a floo and you still cannot land right, Harry do you ever learn?" Hermione asked with a sigh as Harry stood up and straightened his glasses. Harry scowled at the black haired witch before him before his features relaxed and he strode over and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. Startled, Hermione froze and Draco and Narcissa could only stare.

"Mione I'm so, so, so, so unbelievably sorry. Those months after the war before Hogwarts I should have been there for you, I should have realised you needed someone by the fact you were wearing a stone mask and had become almost as good as a Malfoy at hiding emotion. I knew you wouldn't want to show weakness when you were quite obviously broken, but I couldn't drag myself out of wherever I was long enough to help you. Instead you dragged us all out one by one and didn't shed a single tear. You are the bravest, strongest, most stupidly stubborn witch I've ever met and your actions would put Godric Gryffindor, and all his braveness, to shame. But even though I don't deserve it, do you forgive me?" Harry said sincerely as he murmured to Hermione. Hermione could hear the humour in his voice at points but at the same time she could feel engulfing aura of guilt and sadness emanating off him and sliding into her.

Just as Hermione registered the aura she began to wriggle so Harry wasn't wrapping her in his arms too tightly, he let her go willingly and looked down into her eyes. Hermione found herself staring into the bright emerald eyes of the man she considered her brother and best friend and she smiled and nodded. She could never refuse Harry, she loved the silly plonker too much.

"Now what did the Weasley's say?" Ginny asked. Hermione heaved a great sigh and then accioed her letters from Draco's bed and handed them to Ginny.

"If you really want to know, you won't mind reading through them all right?" Hermione snickered. Ginny rolled her eyes and then chose only one letter to read. Hermione only had to glance at the length of the letter to know it belonged to George.

"Mione your story was so good," Harry grinned as he picked up the prophet from the table and beamed at the large picture of an arrested Rita Skeeter.

"It wasn't that good Harry. It was just facts, opinions and pictures, the only good thing is the fact that she is already arrested and if she resists questioning they can use Veritaserum on her to get the truth, or force her into her animagus form. There is absolutely no way she can wriggle out of this," Hermione grinned as she sat back down in her seat. Harry then turned his attention to Draco's style of dress.

"Since when did you wear clothes in the morning Draco?" Harry asked frowning as he sat in a chair he conjured up. Draco's eyebrows raked up under his fringe as Hermione and Ginny both snorted. "You know what I mean! I distinctly remember coming to drop off a book for Hermione the one morning and you were roaming in only your boxers. You then said you roamed like this every morning and we had a mini argument about…" Harry trailed off as Draco relaxed and snickered.

"Anyone would think you like seeing me in my underwear Potter," Draco drawled and Harry gave Draco a dead pan look. Hermione, quickly seeing where this was going jumped in to answer Harry's question.

"Narcissa's staying with us until she gets married because Malfoy Manor rejected her, so Draco decided to wear clothes," Hermione answered simply. Narcissa nodded her head to back up Hermione's statement; only, this caused Harry to look between the two bedrooms then at the three people.

"Separate bedrooms right?" Harry asked as he narrowed his eyes at Draco

"Harry stop being a prude! We're sharing a queen sized bed, it's not like we even touch each other," Hermione scolded. What she said was half the truth and half a lie. Yes they were sharing a queen sized bed, but they were definitely touching as Draco would always hold her close as they slept. The look Harry was giving her told her that he definitely didn't believe Hermione was telling the entire truth but her prude comment made him close his mouth. Ginny looked up at Hermione as she set down George's letter.

"I should apologise to him shouldn't I?" Ginny asked meekly. Hermione looked up at her best friend slightly shocked.

"I wouldn't apologise just, I dunno say something about his letter. It was sweet to read and I should probably stop by soon," Hermione answered before she pursed her lips in thought.

"Probably but for now pass me that Quibbler, I wanna know what Luna wrote," Ginny said as she held her hand out for the magazine Narcissa had left next to Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes and handed the magazine to her fiery friend.

"That reminds me, what did she say?" Draco suddenly piped up. Hermione looked across the table and noticed him toying with his food nervously.

"She wrote exactly what we told her, with a few comments on unfair journalism on the prophets behalf, and all the stuff that would turn the public in our favour while stating that although we're living together and have a couple of dinners, we are nothing more than close friends," Hermione said as she copied Draco in pushing her food around.

Draco watched Hermione's hair fall forwards over her shoulder sadly. The woman he was so obviously in love with had publically friend zoned him despite the searing kisses she would give him. He knew he was letting too many emotions show on his face in the way that his mother was looking at him curiously and even Harry had picked up on something being out of sorts, it was only a matter of seconds before Hermione would look up and…

"What's up Draco?" Hermione asked as she met his eyes. Draco found himself lost in the milk chocolate depths of her eyes as he struggled to find something to say.

"Nothing," Draco then murmured harshly and he pushed away from the table and strode off to his room, waving his wand harshly at a blank space of the wall so that a new door appeared, but before he could observe anyone's reactions to it, he slammed his door, stripped off and sank back into the bed that unfortunately, still smelt like the witch he wanted to avoid.

Hermione watched Draco's door slam and winced, before she turned to look at the new door. Ginny was the first one up and she quickly darted across the room to open the door next to Narcissa's bedroom. Standing up Hermione followed Ginny to the door and she realised it was another bedroom. A room of a more modest size when compared with Draco's and decorated in colours of cream and lilac. Hermione knew instinctually that it was her room, and she couldn't sort out whether she was relieved or saddened at the fact he'd made a room for her.

"I thought you were sharing a room?" Harry asked quietly.

"Were being the operative word. Now this room's been made I'm quite obviously not sharing with him," Hermione said as she folded her arms across her chest, not in an angry gesture, but one that made Harry want to hold her tight.

"Why's he done this?" Ginny asked. Hermione shrugged and Harry looked between the two girls and frowned the he pieced together Hermione's last words before Draco suddenly stormed off and he grimaced. Unfortunately for him, Ginny caught the look and glared at him, only relaxing when he mimed telling her later. Hermione had enough on her plate without knowing that she had caused her recent problem by friend-zoning a guy who quite obviously loved her.

The first couple of days after they started sleeping separately were a struggle for Draco but from his point of view, were not much a struggle for Hermione. While she had taken to reading everything and anything in his library, Draco had had more than enough time on his hands to mope and feel sad about this friend-zone until it was driving him crazy. His mother had been into his room on more than a few occasions to complain at him and tell him he was being silly about the forced split, but no matter how many times she visited, he left her with the same closing line. "It's easier this way". But although Draco's feelings only intensified with the passing weeks up to his mother's wedding, he kept them under wraps by adopting the emotionless attitude he had perfected as a child.

Yet contrary to what Draco believed Hermione was actually having a hard time of it. She loved falling asleep next too Draco, he made her feel safe and secure and she did have feelings for him. But for the life of her she couldn't figure out why Draco had made the third room or why he was keeping his distance from her. Harry knew but wouldn't say, claiming it was Draco's business if he wished to say or not. So Hermione slept late and woke early, cast all manner of vanity spells on herself so she could look alive, then buried her head in a book and acted as if she wasn't affected by the expressionless Draco that she lived with.

As the days drew closer to Narcissa's wedding, Hermione spent more and more time with Narcissa helping her prepare for her wedding until the night before when Narcissa was experimenting with hairstyles in front of her mirror.

"Hermione," Narcissa started. Hermione looked up from the small book she was reading and focused on Narcissa, meeting her baby blue eyes in the mirror.

"Cissy?" Hermione questioned.

"Hermione please talk to Draco," Narcissa pleaded.

"And say what? He refuses to talk to me aside from who's cooking. I don't know what I did wrong!" Hermione suddenly burst out. "I don't need his drama on top of everything else I've been dealing with. I'm sorry Cissy but I can't." Narcissa simply continued her eye contact with Hermione before nodding with a deep sigh and returning her wand to her hair.

Draco jumped when he heard Hermione's voice loudly through his mother's bedroom door, what shocked him even more was the fact Hermione had no clue what he was pissed at her about, then he felt guilty for his behaviour. She was right; she didn't his drama on top of everything else that she had suffered. He needed to get a grip and get over himself. Then his house phone rang causing him to jump more at the shrill sound.

Hermione had installed the phone the previous week as an easier way to talk to her friends so naturally only she used it, but Draco waited for Hermione to get the phone but when she didn't appear he cautiously made his way up to the phone and picked it up, placing it to his ear the way he had seen Hermione do.

"So Hermione how's the ferret?" Ginny said as soon as the phone was picked up.

"Hey!" Draco growled as he heard Ginny's words.

"Oh hey Ferret, how're you?" Ginny said with a laugh.

"Do you want Hermione?" Draco asked, bypassing Ginny's question.

"No actually, are you somewhere where you can't be heard?" Ginny answered after a few seconds.

"I'm in my living room, why?"

"I want to talk to you Ferret," Ginny growled. Draco suddenly very afraid moved to his room and silenced the door.

"Okay, I'm ready," Draco whispered as he let out a breath.

"What the fuck are you playing at?! Hermione needs you, yet you're blocking her out because your pride has been hurt! You knew what you were getting yourself into when you got involved with a damaged girl, so explain yourself!" Ginny yelled down the phone. Draco winced and pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Firstly, ow, that happened to be my ear you screamed down, secondly, I don't know, I was coming to the conclusion that I need to grow up," Draco sighed. Ginny said nothing, and then the phone went dead. Draco looked at the phone in his hand and then made his way out to his room to place the phone on the hook but found he was met by Hermione. "Hi," Draco murmured as he placed the phone on the hook.

Hermione whipped around in shock and Draco smiled slightly.

"So you're finally talking to me?" Hermione hissed. Draco's eyes narrowed at the witch in front of him.

"Well trying to, but if you're going to be…" Draco started but Hermione overrode him.

"Save it Draco, I don't wanna hear it," Hermione hissed, as she strode towards her bedroom and summoned a coat, putting it on before heading to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Draco growled.

"Out!" Hermione yelled before striding out the door and slamming it behind her.

"So when I try and apologise, she's a complete drama queen about it!" Draco yelled to his flat. Narcissa suddenly opened her door.

"Well what do you expect Draco?" Narcissa asked.

"Not you too," Draco raged as he headed to his bedroom, but before he could shut the door his Mother appeared in the doorway.

"_You_ pushed her away Draco, for what reason, she can't see, but it was_ you_ who did that. So when you put her through all your drama and finally get over yourself and want to talk to her, do not expect her to come rushing back to you all happy that you've finally spoken one word to her," Narcissa said sternly. She could see her son's anger in the set of his shoulders and the tight fists, but she continued until she had finished what she wanted to say before walking out of his room and shutting the door, summoning her coat and following Hermione out the door.

Meanwhile Hermione had made her way down to the lowest floor of Draco's flat and made her way to a small café over the road. It had been raining for no apparent reason once again, but then September needed no excuse to rain in Britain, so by the time Hermione arrived her hair and her coat was soaked. Clenching her fist around her wizarding money she turned it into muggle money so she could buy herself a coffee.

"Hey miss what can I get you?" The guy behind the counter asked as he wrote down a previous order for food. Then he looked up and gasped. In front of him stood a beautiful woman, wet yes, but she was absolutely gorgeous although she had this crease between her eyebrows and a tightening around her eyes that showed she wasn't feeling very happy.

"Just a coffee please, with milk," Hermione answered before handing over her money and running a hand through her wet hair. "Is there anywhere I can dry off a bit as well?" Hermione asked.

"The ladies room has a hand dryer if that would work," the guy supplied as he cashed Hermione's money. "I'm a bit behind at the minute, but when you're dry your coffee should be ready."

"Thank you," Hermione murmured then she followed the signs to the ladies washroom. Once there she locked the door after making sure there was no one in there and used her wand to partially dry her hair, then stood with her hand under the hand dryer to keep it running, before she deemed herself in there for long enough and went to collect her coffee.

When she went out there she was met by Narcissa holding Hermione's coffee.

"Hermione," Narcissa started, her voice was soft but Hermione had come to known Narcissa well enough in her isolation that she could hear the almost silent pleading edge to her voice.

"Please don't," Hermione sighed as she sat down in a chair. Narcissa followed her and sat down opposite her, simply observing as Hermione drank her coffee.

"I'm asking you for my sake, to play nice with Draco, just for tomorrow," Narcissa said. She wasn't really asking a question so Hermione couldn't say no. Narcissa left no room for movement, so she nodded reluctantly. "When you've calmed down you should come back to the flat, it's getting late. I'll leave you to your peace for now," Narcissa said, then she was gone as quickly as she had come, pulling up the hood on her long cloak before she left.

Hermione finished her coffee slowly and after a while she was the last person left in the café.

"Hey miss, I need to close now," The guy who served her called as he pulled on his jacket and jangled the keys in his hand. Hermione jumped and looked up at the guy with brown eyes and blonde hair. She smiled softly as she stood and pulled her hair over her shoulder and went to leave, bracing herself for the pouring rain that had only become harder.

"Thanks," Hermione smiled as she went to walk away, but the guy called her again.

"Hey, you've forgotten your…" he trailed off as he picked up what he was holding. Hermione turned around and saw a long black cloak hanging from his hands. The cloak belonged to Draco and she quickly took it from the boy.

"My cloak, thank you," Hermione smiled as she walked closer. She was loathe to do this, but it would be better if he didn't remember to strange looking people in his café. As she reached him she took the cloak and raised her hand to his temple with a soft smile. With a soft murmur she obliviated the memory he had of the two witches, then swung the cloak over her shoulders and shuddered in its warmth and the smell that was distinctly Draco and after grabbing the note attached to the cloak, left quickly. Out in the rain Hermione pulled the hood over her head and read the note "for the rain". Hermione dropped the note and started to make her way home, noticing that there was not only a warming spell on the cloak but also a water deflecting spell.

When the guy blinked he found himself standing in the centre of his café holding his keys. With a shake of his head he flicked off the lights and noticed a small dark figure hurry past the window before he left the shop and locked it.


	16. The Wedding

"Cissy are you ready?" Hermione called through the door to Narcissa's room. "Draco get out here now!" Hermione then yelled towards Draco's door. He had been a pain in the ass all morning and was now taking forever in his bedroom. Hermione however, was already dressed in the blue and white one shoulder gown she was to wear so she fit in with family of the bride as Draco's date. Draco was also in blue and white with a dark blue suit and a white shirt and blue tie and as Hermione huffed in annoyance and strode to his door intent on blasting it down, he appeared.

"Hey I'm ready, calm down," Draco smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance and whacked him on the arm.

"Took your bloody time didn't you," Hermione smirked. Then Cissa's door opened and Hermione and Draco suddenly looked at the bedroom.

Out of the open door stepped Narcissa, with her hair curled in a way Draco had never ever seen it and her deep sapphire dress, form fitting on the bodice and flowing down her striking form like water and flowing across her bodice to her left hip was a delicate pattern of tiny white flowers embroidered on. Hermione gasped as she looked at Draco's mother, the woman looked beautiful and as she tentatively smiled she looked radiant, then her smile slipped as she looked at her son.

"Draco close your mouth," Narcissa said and Draco closed his mouth with a snap.

"Mother you look beautiful," Draco murmured as he walked forwards and embraced Narcissa softly. Hermione followed shortly after and embraced Narcissa softly.

"You really do look beautiful, Carlos is a lucky man," Hermione murmured. She went to pull away but Narcissa held her firm.

"So is Draco," Narcissa breathed then she let Hermione go and handed her the cloak that she discovered was Draco's favourite cloak. Then she collected her own cloak, one she had magically turned white and Draco collected his other cloak before wrapping his arm around Hermione's small waist and then taking his mother's hand. Narcissa smiled and then twisted away taking Hermione and Draco with her.

Hermione and Draco appeared by the gates of a modest sized, white manor that by the sounds of things, was not too far from the sea.

"Are we still in England?" Hermione questioned. Narcissa started forwards through the open gates and down the stone pathway to the door.

"Yes, somewhere in Plymouth I believe," Narcissa answered as she reached the door. Draco quickly followed after his mother where he waited for Hermione who had glared at him as he marched past her. Narcissa didn't seem to approve either as she glared at him.

"Draco, Hermione is your date, now stop being a bitch and go and help her," Narcissa growled in his ear harshly. Draco widened his eyes at his mother's language and quickly hurried over to Hermione. Hermione however raised her head and ignored Draco like he wasn't there.

"Can you stop?!" Draco hissed, Hermione suddenly stopped and faced him, her milk chocolate eyes becoming hard brown rocks as she stared into the grey eyes that eventually warmed to liquid silver. Despite this Hermione refused to let herself melt.

"You know what. Just for today I'll stop, because apparently it's all me, I'm _stopping_ just for Cissy. She does not need us bickering like pathetic children. So if you decide to _man the fuck up,_ today would be a good day," Hermione hissed etched quotation marks around the word stop before she placed her hand in Draco's and hitched a smile into place and allowed him to lead her to the door, where he held the door open for both ladies. As they reached the room where the wedding was taking place Hermione sent their cloaks to the room they were to be stored in and conjured a set of blue and white flowers in her hand before taking her position behind Narcissa, who hooked her left arm into Draco's right while holding a stunning white bouquet in her other hand. Just as the clock rang 2 o'clock the doors opened magically of their own accord and Narcissa began to walk and Hermione followed a few steps behind until she reached the front of the aisle and curved off the side where she proceeded to smile and watch.

The wedding ceremony passed quickly and Hermione, although happy for Narcissa, found herself relieved that the serious part was over, or so she thought. Draco then spent the best part of an hour leading her around on his arm introducing them to Carlos' family as they followed Narcissa, constantly reminding her to smile and look happy and keep quiet aside from a pleased to meet you and a graceful curtsey. So by the time she reached Pansy and Blaise, Hermione was set to cry.

"God Pansy how I've wanted to see you," Hermione whispered as she embraced her friend tightly, shortly followed by wrapping her arms around Blaise as he hugged her tightly.

"The first one is always the toughest; it's just unfortunate for you that you didn't grow up with this. We've all been doing these since we were old enough to walk, talk, use the toilet and keep our mouths shut," Blaise smirked. Hermione growled something under her breath but then let out a long sigh and felt Draco's hand around her waist, gentle for the first time that day, and she tried not to react other than to look up at him.

When they locked eyes they were slightly shocked at each other as they noticed the softness in the other's eyes. Draco could clearly see her distress at the event, yet if he, the son of the bride was not seen introducing himself and his "date" to Carlos' family, the old purebloods would all take up arms against him for improper conduct.

"Hermione, do you want some air?" Draco murmured into her ear and he could clearly see the shock in her eyes as he used her name for the first time in weeks. Thankfully he had stunned her speechless so she simply nodded mutely and Draco gently lead her in the direction of the open glass doors, fetching a glass of water off a nearby house elf as he did so. Once outside Draco lead her to a bench that was in an empty area.

"I thought this event was supposed to be small," Hermione gasped out as she sat down. Draco chuckled lightly and then relaxed back in the seat.

"Small by pureblood standards usually means between 100 and 200 guests, now if I was to get married there would probably be around 400 to 600 guests just for me," Draco sighed. Hermione chuckled and then noticed the water he was holding in his hand.

"Is that for me?" Hermione asked. Draco looked at the water as if he'd forgotten he held it then nodded and handed it over.

"Look. I'm sorry for everything," Draco murmured as he made eye contact with Hermione. He saw her eyes darken and her mouth open but before she could say anything he covered her mouth with his hand. "I know it's not enough, and I promise I will apologise properly, profusely and as often as I have to when we get home. But for now we have to dance together and appear happy at least, if not for anyone's sake but my mothers. So I'm hoping you can accept my apology for now despite the fact it's pretty damn pathetic," Draco spoke quickly. Hermione frowned slightly but then she eventually nodded and removed his hand from her mouth.

"We should head back inside," Hermione smiled as she stood up and waited for Draco to stand up also.

Narcissa saw Draco and Hermione appear out of the corner of her eye and she smiled slightly at the fact they seemed a lot happier now than when they had arrived. She then realised that Hermione had not met Carlos and Draco was still to talk to his step father in public. She quickly pointed this out to her husband and he lead her over to the pair who were standing by Pansy, Blaise and Harry and Ginny who had just arrived.

"Narcissa, congratulations," Harry greeted her and he shook Carlos' hand while Ginny air kissed both of Narcissa's cheeks before she beamed at her.

"Yes congratulations Narcissa, and to you too Carlos," Ginny smiled.

"Thank you, Harry, Ginny. Hermione I should probably introduce you," Narcissa smiled.

Hermione looked away from Harry and Ginny to meet Narcissa's eyes and then she looked to her right and saw Carlos. Every single aspect of the man was the opposite to Lucius. While Lucius had been fair and pale, Carlos was tanned with dark hair and pea green eyes, not quite the emeralds of Harry though. He was around the same height as Draco and while Lucius had been a tall man, he was of small stature with a thin face and pointed features. Carlos was built like Harry with Draco's height and his face was softer, fuller, and his features were more rounded. Add all that together with the laugh lines around his eyes and the dimple he obtained whenever he grinned, which was often, Carlos Captonia was certainly a handsome man, and Narcissa suited him so well that they both managed to look stunning without over shadowing the other.

"It's good to meet you," Hermione smiled formally. Carlos grinned and then hugged Hermione tightly.

"Don't be so formal, you're family, no need to be formal to my step-daughter in law," Carlos smirked. Hermione jumped aghast and Carlos laughed heartily. "I'm playing, I know you're not his wife, but you're a closer friend than half the fake purebloods I've encountered today," Carlos added in an undertone.

No one had anything to say to Carlos' words. Hermione, Harry and Ginny started laughing, while trying to keep their volume down. Blaise and Pansy smirked widely, Draco looked genuinely shocked while Narcissa looked at her new husband as if she wanted to scold him but it only took the slightest of eye contact for her ice façade to melt and her face broke into a wide grin. Carlos leaned down and gave Narcissa a chaste kiss and a wink causing Narcissa to blush. Draco then gawped and Hermione gently reached up to close his mouth as she chuckled weakly. Narcissa smirked as she caught Draco's eye and the slightest of smiles graced his shocked face before he rearranged his expression into one of formality at the recent addition to their group.

"Cissy?" The woman hesitantly called. Narcissa froze then she pivoted on her heel and came face to face with her only remaining sister.

"Dromeda?" Narcissa gawped. Andromeda Tonks smiled slightly before Narcissa pulled her sister into a tight hug. "Merlin it's really you. I thought you would never speak to me again. I'm so sorry for everything. I knew you disapproved of Lucius but I didn't listen, I just wanted to do Mother and Father proud. I'm sorry. It wasn't until later that I realised you were right," Narcissa gushed. Draco could only stare as he saw his mother offload on his aunt but Hermione thankfully noticed the tearful atmosphere and quickly cast a non-verbal spell over Narcissa to keep her make-up perfect despite the tears.

"Cissy, it's alright. I understand now. But maybe we can go back to how we used to be, I want my sister back and I am glad to see her happily, _lovingly_ married," Andromeda smiled at Carlos then pushed her sister away and looked at her. "Honestly I wasn't going to come, but Harry convinced me to come, partly for our sakes, but mostly for Teddy's sake," Andromeda said quietly.

"Teddy?" Narcissa questioned with a frown as she vanished her tears. Then she saw Harry crouch down and pick up the blue haired toddler.

"My grandson, Teddy Lupin," Andromeda smiled as she looked at the toddler in Harry's arms.

"Nymphadora's son?" Narcissa whispered.

"Yes. Harry thought Teddy should know his family and I should get to know my nephew," Andromeda said with a tight smile. There was a few seconds of silence as Draco simply stared then his mother turned around.

"Well. Draco, at least greet your aunt," Narcissa commanded. Draco appeared to shake himself then he relaxed into a smile.

"Sorry, I've had a few surprises already, pleased to meet you," Draco smiled.

"And you Draco," Andromeda grinned.

"Love, the music has started… I believe it's time for our first dance," Carlos then said. Sure enough a space had cleared in the centre of the room and Carlos took Narcissa's hand and led her to the centre of the room where he began to lead her in a graceful waltz in which the couple moved like their feet weren't touching the ground.

"Wow," Hermione whispered.

"I've never seen mother move like that," Draco murmured as he watched the graceful twirl Carlos led Narcissa into before pulling her close and smiling at her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"I've seen her dance before, but only with Lucius and she never moved so relaxed. No that's a lie, the only other time I've seen my mother so relaxed was when she taught me to dance," Draco said, smiling at the distant memory.

"You can dance?" Hermione snickered.

"Well of course I can." Draco smirked as he watched his mother on the floor. Hermione was silent for a while simply watching then Draco turned to her with a grin on his face and Hermione suddenly felt very nervous. "Can you?"

"Can I what?" Hermione questioned.

"Dance?" Draco asked. Considering Hermione hadn't danced in public since the yule ball, she paled. "Guess we're about to find out," Draco smirked. Hermione growled at him and took his hand, allowing him to lead her onto the floor where he placed a hand on her waist while taking the other in his hand. Hermione looked around and noticed that not only was Narcissa and Carlos and herself and Draco on the floor, Carlos' sister and her husband were there as well all standing still and waiting.

"Draco what is this?" Hermione hissed quickly.

"Just follow the lead of the guy, you'll get it," Draco whispered as the music started and guided Hermione. Thankfully the steps were as simple as the ones she had learnt before going to Hogwarts and she was able to match and follow him as easily as if she had never stopped classes.

Draco held Hermione in his arms and marvelled the way she moved taking everything in her stride, never once stepping on his toes or stumbling, she moved as well as his mother was, so she obviously wasn't angry with him. Then he remembered the next move of the dance and he cast a pleading gaze over to Carlos who was watching him carefully, before turning to make eye contact with his step-uncle.

"Mione, you're going to Carlos now, relax," Draco hissed.

"Figured," Hermione said as he handed her over to Carlos and accepted his Aunty. His Aunt Carelle was not as fluid a dancer as Hermione and his mother, but good all the same and he smiled politely as he took her into his arms.

Hermione was quite comfortable with Carlos and she found moving with him as easy as moving with Draco.

"You dance well," Carlos complemented after a while as he twirled her.

"You're not so bad yourself," Hermione grinned, when they came back together.

"So what's going on with you and my step-son," Carlos asked.

"At the minute, I'm angry with him, we're getting along only for Narcissa's sake today," Hermione answered simply.

"Ahh, in the dog house already is he?" Carlos smirked and Hermione chuckled.

"He wishes he had a roof over his head," Carlos then let out a loud laugh, attracting the eyes of most of the people there.

"I like you… You've got fire, it's good," Carlos then murmured. Hermione laughed and shook her head before looking over and meeting Draco's step-uncle's eyes as Carlos met the eyes of his sister.

The second transition was a fluid as the first and Hermione suddenly found herself in the arms of a dancer she felt she had to lead. While she watched, slightly jealously, the fluid movement of Draco and his mother, but she smiled and stuck it out, making polite conversation until she was handed back to Draco.

"So how do you like my step-father?" Draco smirked.

"I like him. He says I have fire," Hermione smirked back.

"That you do Miss Granger," Draco smiled. He seemed in a more cheerful mood now and he was being freer with his movement as he held Hermione closer. Hermione, glad of the change smiled as she let herself be held close. Then as she expected to be passed onto Carlos the song ended and other dancers joined them on the floor. Hermione wanted to take a break but Draco quickly twirled her away to the centre of the dancers.

"Why?" Hermione asked as she glared at him.

"Unfortunately being family of the bride, you have absolutely no choice but to dance as long as the bride is, and yes although you're not family, you're here as my date and apart from the traditional meet the family dance between the bridge groom and their closest relatives and dates, I cannot be seen with anyone other than you and my mother. Unless you wish to feed me to the dogs," Draco murmured apologetically. Hermione narrowed her eyes and Draco suddenly felt scared. "You're going to feed me aren't you?"

"No," Hermione answered as she leant closer to him. Draco visibly relaxed and pulled her close as he began to enjoy the second waltz she danced with him.

"How well can you dance Draco?" Hermione suddenly asked.

"I can dance a good waltz and rhumba, but mother taught me how to tango. It's one of her favourite dances. I can see you can dance too, so care to share?" Draco answered.

"I attended ballroom dance classes up every weekend until I left for Hogwarts. Then I would go back every holiday. I learnt to do a waltz, quick-step, rhumba and a tango. Tango and waltz are my favourite to dance though," Hermione smiled. Draco looked at his dance partner impressed.

"The question is how well can you dance a tango?" Draco smirked as he saw his mother wink at him as the waltz ended. Hermione looked up at him with a challenge in her eyes as Draco suddenly pulled her tight to his chest.

"I guess you'll find out," Hermione smirked as the opening notes of the tango began to float from the live band.

Harry and Ginny quickly retreated from the dance floor as a tango started, but many other dances did as well, leaving only two couples still on the floor.

"Harry is that?" Ginny questioned as she watched a black-haired girl move around the floor in the arms of Draco with the other couple that was the bride and groom. Harry trained his eyes on the face of the girl and gawped.

"I believe so Gin. That is definitely Hermione," Harry whispered. The couple fell quiet as they watched Carlos and Draco dip their dance partner close to the ground slowly before pulling them back up and dancing them away in their own private routines, yet every move fit with the other regardless of whether it was a kick or a hug or a spin or a twirl. As the song progressed the music suddenly became faster causing the couples to incorporate the passion and fire of the tango into their movements.

Most of the crowd were watching Narcissa and Carlos move as if they weren't in their finest clothes, but Pansy, Blaise, Harry and Ginny had their eyes shamelessly glued to their friends. Draco and Hermione were so engrossed in the other, maintaining eye contact the entire time which caused a real anger in their movements but also made the passion and sexual tension between the two, manifest into something almost tangible. They moved with such flawless grace that their friends could only stare for the duration of the dance.

Finally after a dead silence where Carlos span Narcissa quickly and Draco dipped Hermione low as he brought his mouth close to hers the band struck one more harsh note, calling both couples to a straight position, the only difference being, Narcissa was clutched tightly in Carlo's arms with her face to his chest while Hermione was held equally tight with one of Draco's hands at her waist, the other one on her leg which he had pulled around his hip through the slit in her dress. While in that position Hermione had her hands to Draco's face and her lips brushed his.

"Wow," Hermione breathed. Draco dropped her leg and pulled away as he widened his eyes at her, then he saw his mother smiling at him over her head as she clapped her hands towards him as people politely applauded.

"Wow indeed, come on, I think mother is taking a break. We should get one while we can," Draco smiled and Hermione gratefully walked over to their friends hand in hand with Draco.

"Where in the name of merlin's saggy arse did you learn to dance like that Mione?" Ginny questioned as soon as Hermione was within grabbing distance.

Hermione felt laughter bubble up out of her as she took in the four stunned faces of her friends.

"Dance classes… yes the bookworm dances," Hermione answered with a chuckle. Then she felt Draco's eyes on her and looked up to find herself lost in that molten silver gaze of his.

"When you two finally take things to the bedroom, remind me to leave the country," Blaise snickered crudely. Draco punched his friend on the arm as Hermione blushed heavily.

"You live in Scotland mate, that's already out of the country. Don't be a prat," Draco snapped as he wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"But he's right. You two were hot out there," Ginny said tactlessly, causing Hermione to hang her head in further embarrassment. Then Narcissa walked over with Carlos in tow.

"Sweet Merlin, where did either of you learn to dance like that?" Carlos questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Mother."

"Dance classes."

Narcissa raised her eyebrows at Draco.

"The tango was never your best dance Draco," Narcissa said.

"It's amazing what a good partner can do for a man's dance skills," Hermione then smirked as she cast a doe eyed gaze up at Draco. Carlos laughed as he shook his head.

"Like I said, she's got fire," Carlos then muttered.

The end of the evening saw Draco and Hermione saying goodbye to Carlos and Narcissa as Narcissa conjured her belongings from Draco's flat after whispering something to Draco. Then holding tight to a tired Hermione Draco apparated back to his flat.

"Home," Draco sighed happily. "Without my mother," he then added in an even happier voice. Hermione simply chuckled and unwound Draco's arm from her waist and walked to her bedroom. She changed out of her dress using magic to undo the zip and then went and sat on the couch in some jogging bottoms and a hoodie which she used to cover her hair. Draco emerged soon after and sat next to Hermione on the sofa and she leant into him comfortably. Yet as she leant into him she felt electricity zing through her body and she looked up at him and met the dilated pupils of the man she had grown to rely on. A sudden movement in both of them allowed Draco to press his lips to Hermione's.

The kiss was pure magic, intense and passionate and filled with a fiery lust and Hermione felt herself melt against his side. Draco manoeuvred them into a position where he was lying on top of her on the sofa with her legs around his waist while he continued to attack her mouth with his own. The electricity he could feel when he was dancing with her was back in full force and he tore himself away.

"Mione?" Draco whispered roughly as he moved his mouth to her neck and found the sweet spot that caused her to let out a mewl of pleasure. "Come to bed with me?" Draco gasped as his mouth hunted along her neck to her collarbone while he skimmed his hands along her flat stomach. Hermione let out a sigh but didn't answer him, but as he paused to hear her answer she froze and pushed him away.

"No," Hermione breathed.

"No?"

"Yes, No. Why should I after how you've been the past few week?" Hermione suddenly hissed as her eyes darkened. Her pupils were still dilated and Draco could tell she was struggling to say what she was saying, he knew if he played his cards right he'd be okay. If he didn't he would be in trouble, so he decided to start with the truth. Best foot forwards and all that.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered.

"Why'd you shut me out?" Hermione asked as she shifted to another chair.

"I… I was mad at you for… for friend-zoning me… publically," Draco choked out.

"Friend-zoning you? That's all we are! Friends!" Hermione yelled as she jumped off her chair.

"No! We're more than that!" Draco yelled back as he stood up to match the infuriating witch.

"Are we?" Hermione asked dangerously quiet.

"YES! Merlin woman I'm in love with you! I have loved you for years!" Draco yelled as he took several steps towards Hermione, stopping only when she held her hand out.

"No you don't," Hermione whispered with an almost pleading look in her eyes.

"Yes I do," Draco whispered back as he tried to reach out to her but she suddenly pushed him away with a small magical blast from her hand.

"No you don't! You can't! You're lying!" Hermione screamed at him. Draco flinched back as if he had been slapped and he froze.

"You know what?" Draco suddenly said coldly. Hermione felt chills run over her body and a sudden sense of foreboding as she stared into the cold grey depths of Draco's eyes. "You're right," Hermione felt something inside her snap and she could only stare.

"What?" Hermione whispered.

"I don't love you, how could anyone love you. Annoying, know it all bookworm that you are," Draco suddenly hissed after a few minutes of standing there facing her. Hermione flinched back and ran to her bedroom door. "No wonder Weasley left…" Draco then whispered the final words to hurt her as much as she was hurting him.

He loved the silly chit and all she could do was refuse him, but as she spun and ran into her room, slamming it behind her, he knew he'd crossed the line and all the anger suddenly fell away replaced by a deep sense of self-loathing and horror at what he had said.

"Hermione," Draco called through the door as he rested his forehead on the hard wood. "Hermione open the door please," Draco begged, but still the door did not open and all he could hear was quiet noises as she moved around the room. "Please… I'm sorry," Draco begged. The door suddenly swung open and Draco almost fell forwards. Then he realised why he almost fell over and looked at the girl in front of him. "I'm sorry," Draco whispered.

"Ronald Weasley is a liar and a cheat. I stood by his side for years and I loved him. He cheated on me and betrayed mine and Harry's trust. He lost all my love and respect when he did that… He cut me so deep…and to have it all reopened by you…" Hermione left her words hanging in the air as her eyes sparked dangerously. Draco paled even more so that he already had.

"Mi I'm sorry."

"Don't call me that, you have no right to call me that! Now leave me alone," Hermione hissed as she made her way to the front door. Draco then took in her appearance and noted she was wearing his long black cloak, seemingly by mistake, and was wearing a rucksack over one shoulder, complete with warmer clothes.

"Where are you going?" Draco questioned as he kept pace with her, coming to a stop in front of the front door.

"What does it matter to you?" Hermione hissed.

"I told you I love you, I meant it," Draco said earnestly as he tried to take back what he said

"OH FUCK OFF!" Hermione screamed. "I AM DONE WITH YOU DRACO MAFLOY NOW LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!" Draco jumped a mile and then felt exceptionally worthless.

"Mi please, I'm sorry," Draco begged, but she suddenly snapped out her hand, moved him with her magic and opened the door.

"You know for a moment you had me going and I actually didn't hate you…," Hermione whispered with a venom and malice that stunned Draco where he stood. Then she was gone and the door slammed after her. How had he managed to mess up so badly?


	17. Hiding

Hermione took off running as soon as she was out of the door and as soon as she was out of the building she turned right, not knowing where she was headed but she knew she was heading away from the centre of London. It was dark out so she wasn't conspicuous in her black cloak but it was raining steadily. As she ran she couldn't help but wonder as to why she wasn't in tears and crying on the floor as opposed to running away with no emotion whatsoever, but whatever the reason was, she was glad of whatever was protecting her from herself.

After a while Hermione had to stop, she had run for nearly an hour just like she had done in the morning before she found out about her parents. And by the time she caught herself she was in the middle of a small town somewhere and the spells on her cloak had worn off. Silently kicking herself Hermione couldn't fathom the reason she had run all the way out here on her own at midnight. All she had on her for her protection was her wand, but then truthfully that was all she needed. If she ran into muggles she could get away with an obliviate, if she ran into wizards however she was in trouble. With an angry wave of her wand Hermione tried to replace the spells on the cloak, yet her magic wouldn't hold and she pulled it off her shoulders and checked it.

"Well that's just fucking brilliant isn't it," Hermione cursed under her breath as she recognised the cloak as Draco's, Draco protected all his belongings with spells so only he could tamper with them, which basically meant Hermione was going to get wet. So figuring she would need some kind of shelter, she drew her wand and held it flat in her hand.

"Point me," Hermione whispered as she concentrated hard on finding some shelter. The wand span in her hand for a second then pointed down the road the way she had been heading.

After half an hour of walking the wand pointed to her direct left, and Hermione peered into the window curiously. What she was looking at was a small bookshop on the lower floor of an old small Tudor house. Looking up Hermione noticed that there was a light on. So taking a deep breath and removing her sodden cloak she knocked the door as the rain pelted her face. There was no reply for a few minutes and just as Hermione raised her hand to knock again the door flew open and a small elderly woman peered out.

"Hello. I'm sorry to bother you, I just…I need somewhere to stay for the night," Hermione shivered as her teeth chattered around the words.

"Good Lord, come in come in," the elderly woman said sounding shocked as she stood back. Hermione walked slowly across the threshold and stood in the small cosy shop area until the elderly woman took her hand and pulled her to the back, up a flight of stairs to a small bathroom. "Here, you're absolutely freezing. Have a bath and I'll provide you with some clothes and a bed for the night yes," The woman said. "Heaven knows why you were out in that rain at this hour, you could catch a cold or you could have been hurt or anything could have happened to you." Hermione stood awkwardly as the woman continued nattering about the perils of the night as she filled the bath.

"I'll just get you some night clothes then you can have your bath." Hermione nodded as she shivered violently. The warmth of the bathroom was making her feel even colder in her sodden clothes, but the elderly woman who reminded her so much of Mrs Weasley was back in seconds with a nightgown and a towel then with a smile she left Hermione to her own devices.

Hermione stripped off and then sank into the bath gratefully after wincing a fair few times at the warmth on her cold limbs. Slowly her body began to thaw out and she sighed sleepily. With a slow movement Hermione slid down the bath so she could lie with her head and hair under water and she closed her eyes and breathed in and out softly as she felt her emotions surface and leave her at the same time until eventually she sat up and smiled to herself. Climbing out of the bath Hermione dried herself off, pulled on the nightgown and then slung her bag over her shoulder as she picked up the wet clothes before unlocking the door. What she saw made her smile as she found the lady sitting on a little sofa in the middle of the corridor with her feet tucked up and a large volume on her lap.

"Hi," Hermione smiled. The lady looked up and smiled as she slowly stood up.

"There, you look much better poppet. Now I've made up a bed for you in the spare room and you'll be cosy enough there for tonight. We can talk tomorrow morning, goodnight dear," The lady smiled as she pointed towards the bedroom door before walking through another door with her large book. Hermione shook her head as she headed through the door. How can one woman be so utterly caring and trusting? But from the time Hermione had rolled under her pillows, sleep had taken her away.

The following morning found Draco lying in his bed with his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. Last night he had cried, he had screamed and he had broken a fair few things. Yet nothing really seemed to purge him of the guilt and the brokenness he was feeling. Hermione had told him she was actually starting to not hate him and he had ruined it all with his stupid pride. While he lay there he heard the phone ring three times in succession, then he heard an apparition crack and heard Ginny shouting Hermione's name. With a growl Draco dragged himself out of bed and yanked on some jogging bottoms before opening his door and staring at the red head sat on his sofa.

"She's gone," Draco said clearly. Ginny jumped as she looked up at Draco. Then she narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by she's gone?"

"I mean, last night we had an argument and she walked straight out of that door," Draco answered, enunciating every syllable carefully.

"What the hell did you do?" Ginny growled as she advanced on him. Draco narrowed his eyes at Ginny and walked across to the other side of the room by his kitchen where he casually poured himself a firewhisky and watched the red head as he downed his drink. "What are you doing?" Ginny asked as her eyes widened. Draco shrugged as he set the glass on the side and folded his arms across his chest.

"I told her I loved her," Draco murmured. Ginny's eyes widened as she stared him. "And she told me, no I don't, I'm lying."

"What?" Ginny gasped as she started to walk towards him.

"Don't Weasley. I don't need your pity," Draco growled as he interpreted the look in Ginny's eyes. Ginny froze where she was and then crossed her arms over her chest.

"What did you say to make her leave?" Ginny suddenly asked. Draco levelled a cold gaze at the red-head across from him.

"I told her she was right. How could anyone love her, annoying, know-it-all bookworm that she is, no wonder Weasley left her," Draco said quietly as he looked at the floor. He heard a few quick steps and then felt a slap across his face.

"How dare you," Ginny snarled as she raised her hand again. Draco caught her wrist and stared straight into her angry brown eyes. Whatever she saw in his own eyes caused her to sober and start to pull away with an apology on her lips.

"Get out," Draco snarled as he threw the witch away from him and walked to his bedroom and slammed the door.

"Draco!" Ginny yelled through the door. Draco screamed in frustration and then went to open the door.

"Get the fuck out of my flat Weasley!" Draco yelled.

"Not until you listen to me!" Ginny screamed back.

"Save your breath. I don't want to hear it!" Draco yelled.

"No! Listen to me!"

"If you won't leave I will," Draco growled as he threw on a tee-shirt and pulled on his cloak and some pumps before apparating away back to Malfoy Manor where he was greeted the silent halls.

Hermione was woken up in the morning by the woman knocking on the door but when she opened the door she unpleasantly surprised by the way the woman was holding her wand.

"That's mine," Hermione croaked.

"Oh I know, I haven't held one of these for years," The woman smiled as she held the wand carefully.

"Can I have it back please?" Hermione whispered. The woman smiled up at Hermione.

"One condition."

"What?" Hermione questioned.

"You can't use your wand after you hide it wherever you wish to. I'm muggleborn and I gave up on it and returned to the life I was raised in. If you stay here, you can't use this," The woman said slowly.

"That's fine. I'm muggleborn myself so I know how to live without magic," Hermione said with relief as the woman handed her wand back.

"Good. Now how about you get dressed then we'll get acquainted," The elderly woman smiled. Hermione stared after the woman as she headed downstairs and then she turned and using wandless magic transfigured her wand into a silver necklace and hung it around her neck before she moved to get dressed.

"How do you like your tea?" The elderly woman asked as Hermione found her way to the small kitchen in the back of the bookstore.

"Two sugars with milk please," Hermione answered as she sat down. Soon enough the woman placed the hot drink in front of Hermione and sat down. "I apologise if this sounds rude, but who are you?"

"Good question. So how about I tell you about me, and then you tell me what you can about yourself," The woman smiled. Hermione nodded and the woman took a sip of her tea before launching into her story.

"My name is Elizabeth Rosen. When I was eleven I got the letter to go to Hogwarts and I completed my education and found a job in the ministry when I left. I was there making laws and legislation to make the muggleborn life easier because what I went through wasn't easy. The support for me wasn't there once I got to Hogwarts. Most of the population was pureblood; there were few half-bloods and even fewer muggleborns. I managed to find a friend in the man that became my husband later and I used to spend the holidays with his family because it was too difficult for my family to raise me. When Voldemort rose to power the first time I was almost 40 and in a big position but when I heard they were killing muggleborns, muggles and blood traitors I was at work. So I rushed home to see if Richard and my 7 year old daughter were okay but when I got there the dark mark was above my house. The death eaters had killed my family" Hermione gasped as Elizabeth sighed shakily.

"As much as I'd lost everything I wasn't ready to die so I ran. I disappeared into the muggle world and the last magic I used was a series of powerful protection spells on this bookshop and on me. No one with magic can find this place. If they can find it they would have to be specifically searching for it, and even if they were searching for it, they would only be able to find it if their intentions were pure. The magic I used on me is a glamour charm where you cannot see who I am unless you meet the conditions set on the house. Then I put my wand in a case and hid it in the attic. Out of sight out of mind… It was easy turning my back on the world that killed my family and it gave me a sense of starting over, but I could never forget even though it was 25 years ago," Elizabeth finished sadly, then she looked up. "Enough about the sad life of an old woman, what brought you here?" Hermione finished the last of her tea and then looked deep into its depths as she started to rehash her story in her head.

"Two years ago Voldemort was high in power again, and I was best friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. At the funeral of Dumbledore I made the conscious decision to go with Harry in search of Voldemort's horcruxes so he could be defeated. But I knew that being a muggleborn would put a target over my head if being friends with Harry didn't. So I modified my parents' memories and sent them to Australia, with no memory of having a daughter. I then went with Harry. A year later I returned to Hogwarts after Voldemort was defeated and I asked the ministry to find my parents. In August they told me that my parents had died in a plane crash over to Australia. I practically killed my parents," Hermione whispered as she bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

"I spent a week slipping into depressed stupors when I tried to suppress my emotions, then I met Draco Malfoy again. He took me in, looked after me and we got close and kissed a few times, but last night he told me that he loved me. But that's stupid because he hasn't known me as a friend for long. He knew me, but we were enemies, he being a pureblood and me being, to quote him back then, a mudblood. I told him he was lying and he admitted that he didn't love me and he was lying. How could anyone love me, annoying know-it-all bookworm that I am. Then he tried to take it all back but I wasn't listening to anymore lies," Hermione finished on a hard note. Elizabeth looked at Hermione for a few seconds with her green eyes and then brushed a curly lock of grey hair back into place.

"I'm assuming you ran away and that's how you ended up here." Hermione nodded as she looked at her fingers. "Well. No point crying over spilt milk ay, how about you work with me in the shop today?" Elizabeth smiled. Hermione looked up shocked and then grinned.

"You would do that for me?"

"Well an old woman needs help nowadays."

"Sweet… Oh erm, my bag has an extendable charm on it… Is it alright if I keep that? It allows me to hold all my belongings," Hermione asked. Elizabeth observed Hermione for a few minutes then nodded.

"You set the charm before you knew you were arriving here. You had no idea that you would end up here. Anyways, we have work to do. So how about some toast then we'll open up shop. For a small bookshop I get a fair few customers as I double as a library," Elizabeth grinned enthusiastically. Hermione couldn't help but return the enthusiastic smile.

Draco heard a series of loud cracks and looked around him to find five elves standing there nervously scuffing their feet as they twisted the disgusting rags his father had given them for a uniform.

"Right, what are your names?" Draco asked tiredly.

"I is Shuen and this is my Sera. That is Jodem and his Meywa and her sister Lura. We is the elves Master Lucius chose for Master Draco to own after Master Lucius passed," The oldest male elf spoke up. Draco followed down the line and then nodded. Five high bred elves sounded exactly like the kind of thing his father would leave to him.

"Right starting from now, you call me Draco, I call you by your names no, master and elf things in my presence. Secondly I'm going to see to it that you all get uniforms and will be given pay. I am not freeing you and your pay will probably be something of a galleon or two a week, I do not wish to treat you as slaves, but I don't I wish to disregard your loyalty to me and the manor but I feel these are necessary steps if I'm to win…" Draco stopped himself, and then he shook his head and stared down the line of his elves. Their facial expressions ranged from acceptance to fear but they each nodded.

"Jodem, Meywa, Lura I do not need your assistance at this present minute I shall call for you later," Draco said with a slight smile and as the three elves he addressed disappeared after a stumbled 'yes Draco', he turned to Shuen and Sera. "You two will be personal elves. Shuen you shall be mine. Sera, you shall be the personal elf of whatever witch I take to be my wife. Now you should both be aware that I plan to pull down this manor and rebuild it how I like. I hope that you five will remain loyal to me," Draco said. Shuen and Sera nodded and Draco dismissed them with a wave of his hand before heading up the stairs to his old bedroom where he flopped face down onto the bed.

The next two weeks passed for Hermione in very much the same way as they had the first day. She would wake up and have a cup of tea with some toast, then spend all day amongst the muggle world in the bookshop/library. Hermione and Elizabeth would talk about everything and anything and Elizabeth would help her through some of her hardest struggles, even shedding some light on something the one morning.

"Lizzie?" Hermione murmured as she stacked a few books on the counter

"Yes?" Elizabeth answered as she looked over from the shelf she was sorting. As she looked on the young woman she noticed a sad tint to her eyes and a crease in the centre of her forehead that clearly said she was distressed and Elizabeth recognised that look. "You've noticed what he meant to you haven't you?" Hermione looked up shocked as Elizabeth voiced the question she couldn't say.

"Yeah… I miss him, but he…" Hermione whispered then she narrowed her eyes. "He's probably out there with some pureblood bimbo so it doesn't matter," Hermione snapped. Elizabeth frowned at the vicious words from Hermione's mouth and folded her arms across her chest as she observed the girl moving books more harshly than she usually did.

"Have you ever considered that Draco Malfoy is a proud man?" Elizabeth questioned as she attempted to voice the issue that had stuck out at her from the first moment.

"I know he's proud." Hermione huffed.

"Then have you ever considered that he did mean it when he said he loved you and his harsh words were said to save his pride. I mean you did say that he tried to take it all back. What if he was lying when he said he didn't love you and isn't shacked up with some pureblood bimbo?"

"Well he's not exactly searching for me so that speaks for itself." Hermione then moved away to put the books from the library counter back on the shelf and Elizabeth figured Hermione had ended the conversation, but Elizabeth had seen that flicker of doubt in the brown eyes of the girl. She was coming around, slowly.

Coincidentally, the same day Elizabeth left the doubt in Hermione's mind, was the same day when Narcissa and Carlos turned up at Malfoy Manor.

"Go and get my son," Narcissa snapped at the elf who had escorted her inside.

"I'd appreciate it if you did not talk to Shuen like that Mother," Draco growled as he came down the stairs and took in the sight of his mother and step father waiting by the door.

"I'm not here to discuss elf rights at the minute, I'm here to find out why you told Hermione you don't love her," Narcissa said in a low voice. Draco sighed and walked into the parlour where he offered his mother and Carlos a seat and sat down himself. The situation reminded him deeply of the last time he had been in this position, only last time his mother did not look so angry with him.

"Where did you hear this from?" Draco asked as he pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes tiredly. It had grown past his eyes now and he was continuously pushing it back, but to find the will to do something that would leave his mind free to think was not high on his list of things to do.

"Ginevra Weasley. Harry Potter also told me that you're telling your elves not to let them in," Narcissa frowned.

"That's right."

"Why? I thought you loved Hermione?" Narcissa questioned.

"I do, that's the problem. I love her, she doesn't love me, I told her and she told me that I was lying to her so I told her I didn't then realised what I'd said and tried to take it back but she wasn't having it. She obviously doesn't love me because otherwise she would be back here with me," Draco said in a quick low voice. Narcissa stared at her son for a few minutes then huffed as she stood up.

"I can see that you're not budging when I talk to you. Carlos please talk some sense into my son?" Narcissa asked. Carlos nodded with a smile before kissing her hand and watching her floo out of the Manor.

Carlos sat back in the chair and relaxed as he observed his moody stepson with his green eyes.

"So… I'm too scared of your mother to go home without at least attempting to talk to you so, explain what the problem is," Carlos said calmly.

"Do I have to?" Draco sighed as he stood up.

"Well you can explain to me today or you can explain to me tomorrow, but I'll be coming back every single day until you talk to me," Carlos said very matter of fact and Draco instantly sat up as he noticed the truth in his step-fathers threat. "Good you're ready to talk now. Now what's up?"

"I miss her," Draco murmured after a while.

"That much I gathered, you don't look yourself, the question is, what are you doing about it?" Carlos asked as he sat forwards.

"Nothing, if she loved me she'd come back on her own," Draco murmured as he flopped back into the chair.

"No. Let me tell you something Draco. She will not come back on her own. She may not have told me the entire story but I got the gist of it from Cissa. She lost her parents, two people who loved her more than anything else in the entire world," Carlos started but Draco groaned. "No listen to me. You may love her and I hazard a guess that she did love you, but she is subconsciously scared. What happens if she falls in love with you and you leave her for someone else? That's what happened with Ron Weasley and the loss of her parents will make any girl wary. So she will not hunt for you, you need to find her and grovel on your knees for her forgiveness because what you said to her was out of line Draco," Carlos said fiercely. Draco looked slightly shocked at Carlos but what he said hit home. He took Hermione in with the thought to heal her but now he must obviously be making it worse.

"Shuen," Draco called. The house elf cracked into sight and bowed to Draco.

"No Draco. You must search for her, not Shuen, you must put in that effort," Carlos said before Draco could give the order to his house elf.

"What?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Draco, you pushed her away, now you, not your house elf, must pull her back," Carlos said on a final note then he too stood up and flooed home.

Draco sat in thought for a long while after his step father left his manor then he apparated to his room and got dressed before waving his wand at his hair to trim it just so he wasn't constantly moving it from his eyes. Then he apparated back to his flat figuring that was the best place to start.


	18. Seeking, Finding, Loving

Draco was pacing his fireplace as he read the seventh spell book of the week. Every single spell book he had read was long boring and was making him more frustrated by the second as every single one told him he needed to wait a month with some part of the person and he was getting pretty desperate. He didn't have a month as Ginny had come by his flat every single day to help him and provide him with the fearful incentive to find Hermione as if he didn't find her before Ginny's wedding in October, he would be on the receiving end of a Bat Bogey Hex. So that was basically how Draco found himself reading the oldest book Shuen could find in his father's library. Then the fireplace lit up and Draco jumped away keeping his page.

"Hi Ginny," Draco groaned as he looked back at the book. He was now into the H's of the old spells.

"I'm not Ginny mate," said the voice of Harry. Draco looked up in shock and sighed with relief.

"Thank god, you have no idea how nervous she's been making me feel. Popping in and staying the whole damned day breathing down my neck like Snape in a potions exam," Draco hissed as he returned his eyes to the page where he was starting to see the spells beginning with I. Harry chuckled as he heard Draco's low murmur and sat down on the sofa.

"How close do you feel," Harry asked.

"I think this is quite possibly the last book I have the will to try. Every single spell so far says I need a piece of… wait…" Draco stopped suddenly and Harry looked up with wide eyes.

"What?"

"I think… What does this sound like? Inveniet Mei Dilectionem. It's Latin but the English is find my love. The only thing it says underneath is that it needs nothing more than feelings," Draco read. Harry frowned at Draco.

"It sounds like what it says. Do you think it will work?"

"If this doesn't I don't know what will and I will just have to wait," Draco whispered.

"Well cast it, no point in waiting around," Harry said as he stood and faced Draco.

"Okay…" Draco took a deep breath and muttered the words a few times to make sure he was pronouncing it right. "Right, inveniet mei dilectionem," Draco said clearly as he copied the wand movements in the book. A blue light was formed as Draco completed the spell.

"I know what that is, Harry murmured after a second as the blue light moved towards Draco.

"What's it doing?" Draco whispered as he backed away.

"Let it into you then apparate into nothing. You'll be fine, I promise," Harry grinned. Draco watched Harry hard for any sign of his childhood enemy taking the piss, but when he saw none he stopped walking backwards and let the ball of light in. He gasped as it settled next to his heart and caused a heat to radiate to the ends of his fingers and toes and without thinking first, he apparated away.

Hermione locked the front door and then headed to the small kitchen where Elizabeth was cooking.

"Hello, everything all locked up?" Elizabeth asked when Hermione appeared in the doorway.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled as she sat down. Elizabeth gave her a warm smile as she placed their food down then she gave Hermione a piercing gaze.

"Hermione, how are you?"

"I'm fine," Hermione smiled.

"No, how are you really?" Elizabeth persisted. Hermione frowned at her plate then took a shaky breath.

"I love him and I miss him more than anything at the minute. My parent I can live with as long as I've got him. Without them both, it's hard to wake up every morning," Hermione breathed. Elizabeth merely nodded and they finished their meal in silence. Hermione left the room straight after washing her plate and made her way up the stairs sadly. Elizabeth watched the girl leave the room and then chose a book off the shelf and took it upstairs to read on her sofa.

Hours later, just as she knew she would, she heard a knock at her door and placed down the book to go and answer the door.

"Hello, may I help you?" A blonde haired young man stood at the door with a defeated look on his face.

"I'm just wondering if you've seen this girl." The man asked as he handed Elizabeth a still photo of Hermione. Elizabeth beckoned him inside and then sat him down at the table and began to make a cup of tea.

"Why are you looking for her?" Elizabeth asked.

"I need to find her and apologise, then tell her I love her, if she'll listen to me," the man murmured. Elizabeth observed Draco Malfoy carefully.

"I've been watching you today Draco, going from house to house, shop to shop and if she hadn't confirmed something, you wouldn't have been able to find this place. The house applauds you," Elizabeth said calmly then she headed upstairs.

Draco sat in the small kitchen rather confused as he stared at the tea she had left him, then thinking he'd found another person who couldn't tell him where Hermione was, he turned to leave only to be stopped by a human squeak of surprise as he placed his hand on the door. Draco turned around and saw Hermione stood there, and then she was running and hurled herself into his arms.

"It's really you?" Hermione breathed as tears ran from her eyes.

"Of course… Listen Mi, I'm so unbelievably sorry," Draco started but Hermione shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry. I was an idiot. I knew you loved me and I loved, still love you, so _I'm_ sorry," Hermione gushed. Draco looked at the witch he held then gently raised her face so he could place the gentlest of all kisses on her mouth. Hermione seemed to all but melt in his arms and holding her tight he lowered his mouth to her ear.

"I love you Mi," Draco whispered.

"I love you too Draco," Hermione whispered back, then she flung her arms round his neck to pull his mouth back to hers in a passionate kiss that caused Draco to melt. He loved the witch in his arms more than anything in the world and he was never going to let her go again.

The following morning Hermione woke up with a smile on her face as Draco stroked her arm softly.

"Morning beautiful," Hermione turned over and her eyes met with Draco's with a smile.

"Hey," Hermione grinned then she went to roll out of bed only to be pulled back by her tee-shirt.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco asked as he raised his eyebrow at Hermione.

"Well I was going to get breakfast."

"Without giving me my good morning kiss? I don't think so," Draco smirked. Hermione chuckled to herself and then pressed her lips to Draco's waiting ones only to go to pull away and find that Draco had sneakily twisted his fingers in her hair and held her tightly in his arms. "A proper good morning kiss Mione," Draco whispered as his already liquid silver eyes burned molten. Hermione laughed but conceded quickly.

Half an hour later Elizabeth knocked on the door.

"It's Sunday, we don't open till twelve but you really should come out of bed now. It's almost eleven," Elizabeth called. When she heard laughing she slowly pushed open the door to the spare bedroom that had become Hermione's room. She was met by the sight of Hermione straddling Draco as she held her hair back from her face as she and Draco kissed, thankfully both were still fully clothed.

"Eh-hem," Elizabeth fake coughed. Hermione jumped like she'd been electrocuted and moved off Draco where she looked at Elizabeth with shock.

"Morning," Hermione spluttered. Elizabeth laughed at the expression on Hermione's face and shook her head at the frustrated expression on Draco's. She remembered the expression well as she had seen it often on the face of her Richard when they were Hermione's age. Elizabeth shook herself as she realised she had caught herself thinking of a subject she had blocked from her mind. This girl she had taken in was bringing up memories from her long since buried past and with the same stroke, was laying all her demons to rest.

"Hello Hermione…Draco… I trust nothing, untoward happened last night." Hermione shook her head quickly which caused Draco to burst into laughter and wrap his arms around the small witch after he sat up.

"I love you," Draco whispered. Hermione shivered as she heard his whisper then climbed out of bed and gathered her things together before hurrying to the bathroom.

"You love her," Elizabeth smiled as she leant against the door.

"Yes. More than anything," Draco replied as he relaxed back and hooked his hands behind his head.

"You've got the heart of an amazing witch. I haven't known her long, but I can tell she's a good girl," Elizabeth said quietly. Draco nodded softly then he sat up quickly.

"What did you mean last night when you said, the house applauds me?" Draco asked.

"Well how interested are you in hearing the tales of an old woman? Because to understand the house, you must understand me," Elizabeth smiled. Draco lay back for a few seconds then he nodded. "I'm a muggleborn witch who was in a high position when Voldemort first came to power. I was making life easier for muggleborns to live in the wizarding world. So of course I would be one of the first to go. When I heard they started attacking muggles, muggleborns and what they called "blood traitors" I was at work. So I rushed home only to find the dark mark above my house and my half-blood husband and 7 year old daughter dead inside. I wasn't ready to die so I ran away to the muggle world where it was easier to avoid the death eaters. The last magic I used was a series of protection spells on me and this building. I made it so the house decides who could enter by answering conditions such as not having magic and if you did have it you would have to search long and hard for it with pure intentions. Your love for Hermione accompanied by her love for you allowed you to find this place after you'd done a fair amount of searching, but I must ask that as long as you're here, you don't use your magic. I have lived a muggle life for 25 years and I don't wish to be around the thing that took away my family… At least not yet," Elizabeth said quietly. Draco stared at her and Elizabeth stared right back into the grey eyes of the man, she then saw him glance away to his wand.

"I understand that it is hard. I'm not saying you can't carry it with you, Hermione wears hers around her neck, but please don't use it," Elizabeth pleaded. Draco nodded as he picked up his wand and then placed it in the pocket of his joggers that were folded on the floor next to the bed.

That day passed quickly and Draco helped out in the store moving things along quicker and getting used to no magic, but by the end of the day Hermione found him restlessly twirling his wand between his fingers in annoyance. Walking forwards she slid it out of his fingers and placed it on the bedside table before sitting in front of him on the bed while he looked at his wand.

"Dray?" Hermione whispered.

"Mi," Draco answered.

"Why don't you go home instead of torturing yourself," Hermione asked as she held his eyes with hers, noting that in his mood they were a cool grey colour and not the liquid silver she was used to.

"I'm waiting for you to get your stuff," Draco replied as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. Hermione felt her breath hitch in her throat at his touch.

All day Draco had behaved himself limiting himself to chaste kisses and soft touches of her hand or face or her now curly, but not wildly so, black-brown hair. Every single touch was like a jolt of electricity through her core making her want something more, but she had been building the courage to tell him something all day.

"Draco I'm not…I'm not coming back to your flat," Hermione said quickly. Draco's eyes went flat grey and Hermione shivered, and not in a good way, as he removed his hand.

"Why?" Draco asked as he met her eyes and she knew she looked frightened. "I thought you wanted to be with me?" Hermione felt a sickening lurch in her stomach and she shuffled closer and caught his face with her hands.

"I _do _want to be with you Dray, I love you. You know that. I just, I think living with you is not helping me heal well. You being here for me, loving me and supporting me is helping me in a way, but there are some challenges I need to face on my own and I can't do that when I'm living right with you," Hermione murmured quietly, she held her eye contact with Draco as she spoke and she noticed his eyes darken and lighten with every other thought that went through his head. She was not going to use legilimens to access his thoughts; she wouldn't do that to him. After a while of sitting there staring at him Draco removed her hands from his face and took her face with one of his hands and Hermione rested her hands on his leg.

"Is this what you need?" Draco asked in an almost silent whisper.

"Yes," Hermione whispered.

"Then that is what we'll do," Draco replied as the liquid silver quality returned to his eyes right before he leant in and captured her lips with his. Draco snaked his hands around her thin waist and yanked her body to his. Hermione felt herself melt as his lips found the sweet spot on her neck. She loved this wizard more than anything. Not even how she used to feel for Ron could come close. She couldn't think straight as he laid her back onto her bed and lowered his weight onto her, all her senses were being invaded by him, his scent, his taste, the feel and sight of him and the sound he made as she nibbled his lower lip was slowly making her want him more and more. When Draco dipped one hand between them and traced the soft skin revealed as he top rode up, she gasped with pleasure before dragging his mouth back to hers in a crushingly passionate kiss.

"Hermione! Draco!" Elizabeth called from downstairs. Hermione groaned with annoyance at that woman's timing as she pushed Draco away. Draco moved his attention to Hermione's neck and she almost gave in to him, but at a second push Draco moved off and away from her.

"Merlin's beard Hermione, you will be the death of me," Draco hissed as he locked eyes with her. Hermione smirked as she sat up slowly then her eyes met Draco's and she froze. Draco's grey eyes were molten silver, surpassing the liquid stage by a landslide, and they were churning with raw carnal lust mixed in with a love that made her head spin. It took only a second for Hermione to lose all rational thought and control and launch herself at him, pinning him to the bed while she straddled him, pressing her heat to the bulge she could feel, as their mouths crashed together. But not ever willing to give back his dominance, he suddenly flipped her over and she found herself staring into his eyes. Unwillingly she slipped into his mind and she was bombarded by all his thoughts. Most of them painting pictures that made her bite her lip to suppress a slight whimper of need.

With a genuine smile Draco locked her back out and trailed his hand up her denim clad thigh, avoiding her centre as he started to stroke the skin above her waist. He wanted to take the witch for his own right then and there but he resisted and pulled away softly after a quick kiss to her neck. Hermione let out a quiet whimper as he pulled away and he only had to take a look into her lust filled eyes and notice the red blush across her cheeks to know that she hadn't meant to moan and she genuinely wanted him to stay.

"We can't use magic Mione. And I don't want Elizabeth to walk in on us," Draco murmured. Draco saw Hermione's eyes widen as she heard his voice. He knew it went deeper and husky when he felt the way he did and he was secretly glad that it made witches react the way they did to him, he could feel Hermione practically quivering next to him. "Are you okay?" Draco whispered. Hermione closed her eyes and frowned as she tried to clear her mind.

"Go down to dinner, I'll be down in a sec," Hermione murmured. Draco chuckled as he looked at the witch and took in her ruffled hair and clothes, the closed eyes, pink cheeks and lips ever so slightly bruised and he found he had to fight to remove himself from her presence and once outside the door he sat on the sofa and rested his head in his hands as he tried to clear his mind of Hermione.

Hermione left her eyes closed for a time as she tried to quell her body's need for Draco. It wasn't like her to think like this, but then, she hadn't been herself lately. Unexpectedly her mind called up the image from Draco's mind but as she saw him kiss down her torso she cleared her mind figuring that where the fantasy was taking her, it wouldn't be helpful.

As both Hermione and Draco sat there trying to clear their minds, they both began to recite the twelve uses of Dragon Blood, not for any purpose other than to clear their minds. But for as long as they were in that meddling house together, they would find their lust for one another would only subside just enough to think.

When Hermione finally came downstairs to dinner Elizabeth noted her flushed appearance and cast a quick glance at Draco who was equally flustered, _strange for a Malfoy_, she thought as she recalled the hard faces of Abraxas Malfoy and his son Lucius. Then she watched the way Hermione acted and noticed something was off and excused herself from the dinner table and hurried away to her hidden study where she looked at her wand in its glass box.

"You must stop meddling with their emotions. They're not a game for you to enjoy, you must stop this at once," Elizabeth said sternly as she watched her wand. Her wand did nothing extraordinary but she knew that sending her commandments to the wand would reflect on the house. As she sat there she felt curiosity tingle through her fingers and she slowly reached for the key she wore around her neck, she had told Hermione that she kept her wand lost in the attic, but the truth was she kept it somewhere hidden but accessible to her and refused to use it.

As she unclasped the key she slowly reached to unlock the little glass box and did so softly, hearing the lock click in the opposite way for the first time since she'd locked it. She slowly slid open the box and ran a finger down the length of her 10 and 3 quarter inch larch wood wand with a phoenix feather core. She felt that electric tingle shoot down her finger just as she had on the day she had gone to collect her wand at the age of 11. Taking a deep breath she picked her wand out carefully by her fingertips and then she grasped hold of the wand properly and felt a warmth flood through her that she hadn't realised she was missing. Her wand welcomed her back after twenty five years without a single moment of hesitation or anger at her neglect. At least her old wand was willing to welcome back an old Hufflepuff.

Hermione felt the shift in the atmosphere almost as if it had been a physical thing then she looked up at Draco and found the lust in his eyes was residing slowly.

"Uhm," Hermione murmured.

"I… I don't know what came over me," Draco murmured. Hermione nodded awkwardly.

"I apologise you two, the house decided to make decisions for you," Elizabeth smiled as she took her seat back at the table. Neither Draco nor Hermione failed to notice the new hair accessory that was the old woman's wand, nor did they fail to miss the small smile that graced the corners of her lips. Yet as they made eye contact with each other they chose not to comment on it.

"So Hermione, where are you going to live?" Draco asked.

"I was thinking of getting a flat somewhere between here and your flat. This place isn't very far from yours considering I ran here," Hermione answered with a soft smile in between bites of food.

"Oh… What kind of flat though, muggle or magic. And where are you going to work?" Draco asked. Hermione had to hand it to him, he wasn't going to go down without a fight and she admired that in him.

"I'm thinking muggle, so I have my electricity and all that and then I can add whatever magical things I think I need. And I was hoping to either stay and work here or do something with some magical journalism," Hermione answered. Draco nodded calmly and Hermione smirked triumphantly. Elizabeth looked up as she noted Hermione's words.

"What's happening?"

"I'm moving out to a muggle flat when I find one," Hermione answered. "I was either going to ask for a job here, or get a bit of as-and-when work in journalism," Hermione answered. Elizabeth seemed to ponder this for a moment and as she thought she slid her wand out of her hair and flicked it towards the kitchen area so it started about making a cake, before sliding her wand back into her bun.

"I'm not denying you here but think carefully. I feel you should return to your own life and your own career. It doesn't do to dwell in places you've healed in, and I see you've already figured out that staying with Draco when your feelings are so strong would be counter-productive," Elizabeth said quietly, but firmly. Hermione nodded as she considered her options before she grinned.

"Guess it's back to some journalism I guess, after we do a flat hunt. I have enough galleons in my vault to pay for a decent amount of rent on a small one bedroom flat," I smiled. Draco shook his head as me as a disbelieving smile graced his face.

"First thing tomorrow love," Draco said as he smiled properly. Hermione felt her heart flutter at his casual use of the word "love" and she couldn't help but blush.


	19. Second day in her Flat

The beginning of October found Hermione sat on her own sofa in her own flat reading a book from her own personal library. She moved in the day before and Draco had presented her with her birthday present. Hermione smiled as she remembered how happy he'd made her.

******Flashback******

_ "Hermione?" Draco called as he apparated into her flat. She stepped out of her kitchen and she saw Draco looking around her living space with appreciative eyes. Her flat had a bedroom, bathroom, living room and a small kitchen that was just big enough. She had magically painted the walls of her living room and bedroom cream while magically changing the bathroom and kitchen tiles to be cream, her flooring was a soft Ruby carpet in her bedroom and living space and the tiles on the kitchen floor were black. In her little living area she had a small black two person sofa in front of little TV. She had a desk in one corner and had a bag resting against the wall where she was currently keeping her books._

_With a pleased smile at his appreciation of her small but pretty space, she made a small noise to announce her presence. Draco had jumped and faced her quickly before holding out his arms to her, an invitation she gladly accepted as she hugged him. Draco raised her head with soft fingers and placed a lingering kiss on her mouth that always made Hermione melt. It was becoming increasingly difficult to resist him but something was holding her back. Her restraint had upset Draco at first but when she'd explained that she couldn't go that far with him until whatever was holding her back had gone, but she wanted to, he had cheered up. Draco pulled away slightly so his lips hovered over hers as he held her eye contact._

_ "So, I realised I missed you birthday," Draco murmured softly causing his lips to brush against hers. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed at the sensations she felt tingling through her body._

_ "You didn't have to get me anything," Hermione whispered. She waited for Draco to do something other than keep her in the agonising state of need she was approaching but when no answer came she opened her eyes, to find Draco watching her intently. She then shoved him away with mock annoyance. "You're such a little… urghh," Hermione growled. Draco laughed at her but pulled her back with a repentant hug._

_ "I wondered how long it would take for you to realise I was in your mind," Draco smiled. Hermione growled at him under her breath as she gripped his hair forcefully. Then she let go and went back to the kitchen where she was choosing something for dinner._

_ "By the way, I did have to get you something, I mean Harry and Ginny got you the desk and chair and my mother and step-father got you the sofa, as your boyfriend I was obligated to get you a present. But I didn't feel obligated to do this, I wanted to do it for you," Draco handed her a small rectangular gift and kissed her cheek. Hermione looked curiously at the silver and red wrapping then she opened it carefully. Inside was a miniature bookcase made of bleached white wood. She frowned confusedly._

_ "What is this?" Hermione asked._

_ "Here," Draco grinned. Then he took it from her hands and placed it in the space next to her desk and moved her bag. "Engorgio," Draco murmured. The bookcase grew in size until it stood floor to ceiling tall. Hermione watched in excitement as she realised it was an actual bookcase. Then she sighed in disappointment._

_ "Dray, as much as it is a lovely gesture, I would need at least another 8 of these to hold all my books," Hermione murmured sadly. Draco chuckled._

_ "How do you like your books arranged?" Draco asked. Hermione's answer was automatic._

_ "In order of genre then within that in order of the title why?"_

_ "What genres do you have?" Draco asked._

_ "Leisure and knowledge. My knowledge genre is ordered by Hogwarts subjects. Draco why?" Hermione asked again with a frustrated edge to her voice. Draco didn't reply and murmured a spell at Hermione's bag and she watched in fascination as the books began to fly out of her bag and fill the space on the bookshelves. When the bookshelf was full Draco murmured the word 'swivel' and the books zoomed to the left and the bookcase was empty again. Finally realising what her present was she jumped on Draco and peppered his face and neck with kisses as he held her legs._

_ "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Hermione gasped between kisses. Draco chuckled as he carried Hermione over to the sofa and sat down with her straddling him. Draco nuzzled into her neck so she couldn't access more than his hair but pulling back Hermione met her lips to his in a soft kiss. "Thank you," She murmured one more time._

_ "Mi, it's only a bookcase," Draco chuckled._

_ "Draco I could live without a desk, I could live without a sofa or a TV but my books I can't live without. And you knew I needed something to keep my books in," Hermione explained. Draco laughed at her then pulled her mouth to his._

_ "I love you," Draco whispered._

_ "I love you too," Hermione whispered back._

******End Flashback******

Hermione pulled herself out of her reverie and turned back to the page at hand. She had found a transfiguration book on her shelf on advanced, master level stuff and within it she had found books on how to become an animagus. Immediately interested she had begun to read, she was currently reading about the first instruction that told her that to find the animal that is hers she has to clear her mind and chant the words "find my animal" in Latin. Figuring it was best to do that when she was in bed she, placing the book on her desk open she wandered over to her kitchen. Just then Ginny popped into Hermione's flat.

"Mione!" Ginny yelled as she faced the closed bedroom door. Hermione tapped her foot patiently as she waited for her best friend to spot her and finally when she did, she showed Hermione she had not only brought a cheese and tomato pizza (with extra mozzarella) and fruit twist Fanta. Hermione's heart melted right there and then and she ran forwards and hugged her friend tightly.

"You are awesome," Hermione smiled as she let go.

"I know," Ginny grinned back as she walked over towards the floor by the TV.

When Hermione had finally settled herself into her new flat last night, she and Ginny had arranged to have a girls evening and told Draco and Harry they should have a guy's night. The boys had happily accepted and that was how Ginny and Hermione ended up on the floor by the TV as Hermione searched through a stack of muggle DVD's she'd bought earlier that day.

They ended up watching a film about a modern war that left Ginny staring wide eyed at the TV as Hermione chuckled at her facial expression.

"Muggle wars look so much worse than wizarding," Ginny finally spoke. Hermione shrugged.

"How so? People die in muggle wars just as people die in wizarding," Hermione questioned as she stood up with their now empty pizza box. Ginny stood up and followed her to the bin in the kitchen.

"Well in wizarding wars you don't see people hacking at each other with swords, or firing things into other people with gums!" Ginny cried. "It's just a wave of a wand and an unforgiveable curse and they're dead. No marks, no nothing." Hermione burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at?!"

"Did you just say gums?" Hermione questioned through her giggles. Ginny frowned at her friend. "They're called guns and yes I do agree that wizarding wars are neater, but still," Hermione answered. Ginny then wandered over to the desk as Hermione re-entered the room.

"Are you planning on becoming an animagus?" Ginny asked with a shocked gasp.

"Why not?" Hermione questioned with a shrug.

"Well have you sorted out legalising it?" Ginny questioned with a raised eyebrow at the irony involved with Hermione becoming an animagus after she caught Rita Skeeter for that same reason.

"Well I notified the ministry that I'm learning; when I achieve it I just notify them of my animal and my markings," Hermione smiled. Ginny nodded and placed the book back where she found it before joining Hermione on the sofa.

"So what do you think your animal will be?" Ginny asked me.

"I don't know. I've done some reading," Hermione started.

"Obviously," Ginny interrupted and Hermione cast Ginny a look.

"I've done some reading and I've found that your animagus and Patronus are reflections of you, but different parts. The patronus is a reflection on what you find happiness in, that animal displays the personality traits that incorporate your simplest and most basic pleasures. Your animagus form is the form that reflects your most obvious personality, the animal chosen displays the personality traits on the surface," Hermione recited. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"20 points to Gryffindor for the perfect book reference," Ginny grinned. Hermione huffed but with a quick flick of her fingers Ginny was dangling by her ankle in the air with a yelp. Hermione then laughed as she looked at her friend. "Hermione let me down!" Ginny yelled and Hermione snickered as she flicked her fingers and her friend dropped back onto the sofa as Hermione cushioned her fall. Ginny growled as she looked at her friend but it was only the fact that she knew her friend could do wandless and wordless magic that she didn't pounce on her and Hermione knew it.

"So are you back for good now Mione?" Ginny asked with a glare at Hermione. Hermione noticed the glare and blushed.

"Yes," Hermione murmured.

"You know we should have got your dress weeks ago?" Ginny glared. Hermione nodded meekly.

"I know, I'm sorry I just…" Hermione couldn't find the words to explain her reasons but then Ginny should know and suddenly she embraced Hermione in a tight hug.

"Gosh I'm being a bitch. I'm sorry," Ginny said quickly. Hermione hugged her friend back and then when she let go she smiled softly.

"It's been a rough time, but I should have told you where I was going, or at least where I was once I got there," Hermione answered.

"I know… But you're back now so tomorrow we can go shopping for your dress and mine," Ginny grinned. Hermione's jaw dropped open in shock.

"Ginny are you serious! You're getting married in what, a month maybe, and you haven't got your dress yet?" Hermione breathed as she stared at her friend with wide eyes.

"I didn't want to go and get it without you and anyway we finally settled on colour schemes last week," Ginny said with a wave of her hand as she tried to downplay the severity of the situation. Hermione shook her head in shock as she tried to get a hold on herself.

"Right so…tomorrow… Oh shit," Hermione said, her voice slipping into a growl as she realised something.

"What?" Ginny asked in a low, suspicious voice.

"Narcissa asked me to meet her for lunch tomorrow, she was adamant that I meet her without Draco or Carlos," Hermione sighed.

"Why don't you just ask her to come with?" Ginny asked easily. Hermione looked at her friend.

"But your mom-,"

"My Mother and Narcissa need to settle their differences once and for all, really, the war is over," Ginny said quickly. Hermione swallowed the words that got stuck in her throat and called the owl Draco lent her until she got her own. The tawny owl fluttered from Hermione's room and landed on the back of her desk chair and clucked its beak impatiently.

"Is that Draco's?" Ginny asked with a chuckle. Hermione nodded as she went to stroke the owl but almost received a nipped finger.

"Yes can you tell?" Hermione hissed as she sat down at her desk and pulled some paper and a pen towards her.

"Yep," Ginny smirked, popping the p.

Hermione sighed as she pushed a lock of curly hair back into place and then began to write.

_Cissy_

_Hi Cissy, hope you and Carlos are okay. _

_Just writing to ask if firstly, are we still alright for lunch tomorrow at The Three Broomsticks? If we are, Ginny has asked me to come with her and Mrs Weasley to choose mine and Ginny's dresses for her wedding to Harry. When I mentioned lunch with you, she suggested asking you if you want to come along._

_Send a reply with Abraxas_

_Mione._

"There, was that so hard?" Ginny asked me as I rolled the paper and sealed it with a touch of my wand which was lying on the desk. Hermione ignored her as she was currently trying to tie the scroll to the leg of Abraxas but her was stepping around awkwardly and nipping her every chance he got.

"Merlin owl, what is wrong with you?!" Hermione cried in frustration as she snatched the scroll back. The owl looked at her then turned its beak. "Bloody hell as if any animal could be exactly as arrogant and stuck up as its owner once was then it's you!" Hermione snapped. The owl nipped at her finger again and Hermione screamed in frustration. "Bloody bird! What's the problem? Is it cause it's on paper you snooty ass… ARGH SCREW IT!" Hermione suddenly screamed. Ginny stared wide eyed at the antics of both the bird and her friend.

"Sweet Merlin Mione, it's just an owl," Ginny tried to say softly but Hermione wasn't having it.

"Screw it. Go to your master you stupid, stupid bird," Hermione snarled. The bird took flight with an indignant screech and cuffed Hermione's head as it left. "Fuck you, you stupid ass bird," Hermione snarled under her breath. Ginny stared at her friend in shock.

"Mione was that really necessary? Now you have no owl to deliver your letter," Ginny said softly.

"I'll send it tomorrow. I wasn't meant to meet Cissy until 1 anyway," Hermione growled.

"Send it with what?" Ginny asked.

"I'll go to Diagon Alley first thing and get my own owl," Hermione sighed. Ginny chuckled softly.

"I didn't think any animal could be so much like their owner," Ginny suddenly laughed after a while. Hermione froze and then burst out laughing.

"I know, can you believe it? Turning its beak up because the letter was written on paper and not parchment and with a pen not a quill. Bloody ridiculous." Hermione chuckled. Ginny just shook her head as she stretched with a yawn.

"I should head home, I want to see Harry before he goes," Ginny smiled. Hermione nodded and stood up to hug her friend.

"Okay. If Narcissa says yes, do you want to meet at the Three Broomsticks at 1. Just assume she says yes, unless you hear any different," Hermione smiled. Ginny nodded and Hermione lead her to the door. When she opened it she met Draco with a ruffled Abraxas perched on his shoulder. Ginny laughed out loud.

"Enjoy Mione," Ginny grinned as she apparated from the corridor. Draco entered as soon as she was gone and went to kiss Hermione, but she pulled away as she saw Abraxas leaning in.

"Take that bloody pigeon away from me," Hermione hissed. Draco drew back shocked as he looked at Hermione then looked at Abraxas.

"What Abraxas? He's a lovely owl. What's wrong with him?" Draco asked as he looked hurt. "I used Abraxas when I lived at the Manor, throughout school," Draco smiled. Hermione shook her head and went to collect her wand which she stuck through the bun her hair was in.

"That explains a lot. He refused to let me tie a letter written on paper with a pen to his leg. So he attacked my hands and I screamed at him a bit then sent him back to you. I'm going to get my own tomorrow," Hermione said quickly. She heard Abraxas snap his beak and she glared at him. "You heard right you bloody pigeon," Hermione then snarled, ignoring Draco's chuckles.

Turning her back on Draco she collected her book off her desk and sat on the sofa waiting for Draco to get rid of his owl, she heard it take off and then she felt his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs softly rubbing in circles as he leant down to place a kiss on her cheek.

"Well now the "bloody pigeon" is gone, may I have a kiss Mione?" Draco asked. Hermione chuckled as she turned her head to the side. But Draco had other ideas as he slowly pulled her back so her head could rest against the back of the sofa and she was looking up at him. Draco then placed a swift, piercing kiss on her mouth smiling as she let out an involuntary moan.

"You know you only have to say," Draco whispered against her mouth. Hermione frowned then pushed him away as she sat up.

"You need to behave," Hermione smiled. Draco came around and sat on the sofa next to Hermione and slid the book from her lap placing it on the floor gently as he pulled Hermione into his lap.

"I'm sorry for misbehaving, can I be forgiven?" Draco asked. Hermione smiled slyly.

"You can if you can deliver this to your mother for me, explain to her that Abraxas has been dismissed, and then go and enjoy yourself with Harry. You're not meant to turn up here today," Hermione grinned. Draco huffed as he pouted like a child. Hermione merely kissed him on his pouty mouth and got up to handed him the sealed roll of paper. Accepting it less than graciously Draco wrapped an arm around Hermione and yanked her to him. Hermione let herself be pulled close to him and almost succumbed to his wishes as he planted another ferociously hot kiss on her mouth, but all too soon his mouth was gone and she found herself trying to catch her breath.

"I'm not an owl. And Blaise is coming with us now, we're on strict instructions to bring him back at least reasonably sober," Draco chuckled.

"I know you're not an owl, but since your bloody owl is being an arse about delivering your mothers letter, you can take it to your mother for me…and have fun trying to keep Blaise sober," Hermione chuckled. Draco groaned and then grinned.

"It's going to be a task, but we'll try," Draco said smoothly. Hermione then pushed him away and frog marched him towards the door which she opened before pushing him out. Just before she could close the door Draco ducked and pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth before apparating away and leaving Hermione alone.

Hermione sighed tiredly as she stepped back inside her flat and closed the door. She was alone at last. All evening the book had been calling her attention to it over and over again and now she was allowed to read it and learn and excel just as she always had. So taking her book off the floor she turned the lights off and locked the doors with her wand, setting non-apparition wards at the same time before heading to her room where she settled into bed in her pyjamas as she held her wand. Placing the book on the bed next to her she read aloud the incantation.

"Invenire mea animalis, invenire mea animalis, invenire mea animalis," Hermione murmured. Then she lay back and closed her eyes, routinely clearing her mind just as she had to do to work her occlumency. Holding her wand in her right hand she murmured the Latin words and eventually felt her conscious mind slipping away from her reality.

When she opened her yes the first thing she registered was that she was lying on something cold and damp but soft, the second thing she registered was that the light filtering down to her had a greenish tinge to it. Sitting up and looking around she realised she was in a forest of some sort and the air was quite cool on her skin. Noticing the coolness made her realise she was naked, but in the same second she remembered that only she and her animal could access this place. Yet still a set of grey robes appeared folded on a rock next to her and she pulled them on.

Once she was dressed she began to pace as she began to think.

"This stage of becoming an animagus is where the most could go wrong. Failing to move or failing to find the animal will result in being lost, but as I'm moving the only way I could be lost is if I fail to find my animal, but I can call anyone from my memory to help and my animal will come if it feels like I'm behaving as it would," Hermione murmured to herself. Then she stopped and faced into the dark green woodland where her eyes couldn't distinguish things any further.

Hermione closed her eyes and in an instant she called her images of Harry and Ron from her first year. That was the one year when she definitely knew that all three of them had had to work together and each had played their own role. Eleven year old forms of Harry and Ron would be helpful.

"Hi Hermione," Both boys murmured at the same time. Neither made a comment on her age, nor a comment on why they were there, Hermione then figured they were there simply to help her.

"We're looking for an animal. There will only be one animal here so I think we should space out and move forwards parallel to each other, keeping an eye out for any animal. Any sign at all green sparks at me okay?" Hermione pronounced. The boys nodded and moved away and after calling out when they were around 10 metres away and could no longer see each other they began to move.

As they moved Hermione checked all around her, making mental notes about every paw print, every scratch mark, every single clue, until she came to a clearing. Harry and Ron got there at the same time she did and to her surprise she saw three animals step through at the opposite side. Opposite from Harry stood a magnificent lion with a strangely dark black mane that was as unruly as Harry's own hair, while he had a grey mark on its forehead, similar to Harry's scar. Opposite from Ron stood a fox. The fox had a sly look around it with brilliant red fur and eyes that were the exact blue of his eyes.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the animagus forms of Ron and Harry and faced the animal directly opposite her.

The animal was distinctly feminine with brown fur that was sleek and thick. The defining feature was her tail which was the bushiest thing Hermione had ever seen in her life, except for her own hair. The dark eyes of the animagus form locked on her own menacingly as she pulled back her jaws and let a warning growl slip through.

"Figures," Hermione snorted. "The bossy, know-it-all isn't actually a Gryffindor Lion as everyone thought." The animal stopped growling and trotted forwards. Hermione smiled and crouched down and touched her hand to the dark brown snout of the animal and found herself back in her bed with sunlight streaming through her bedroom window.


	20. Ladies Day Out

The first thing she noticed when she woke up was that there was an interesting smell drifting through her flat and when she got up and opened her door to investigate she saw her kitchen door closed. Cautiously, she readied her wand and crept to the door to push it open quickly and train her wand into the small area. What she saw there made her drop her wand in shock.

"Draco?" Hermione gasped. Draco looked into Hermione's shocked eyes.

"Well drat I was supposed to surprise you, you know with the loving boyfriend routine and all that, so I made you breakfast and I also brought you a paper, apparently the Ministry is looking for a reporter now Skeeter's serving time and I thought you might want to have a look you know, since you were considering that option," Draco rushed out quickly. Hermione stared wide eyed at her boyfriend who was currently standing in jogging bottoms and a tee-shirt wearing an apron as he rubbed one hand over his faint dark mark, a habit Hermione had noticed he did when he was uncomfortable, but decided to ignore it.

For a few minutes longer Draco stood there shifting foot to foot absolutely terrified of the outburst that might come from Hermione, until he suddenly felt her arms be flung around him and tighten to a death grip that left him airless.

"Mi," Draco strained. "I need to breathe." Hermione suddenly gasped and let go and she stood nervously wringing her hands as she watched him in the kitchen.

"Thank you… And I do notice a great improvement in your muggle cooking skills," Hermione smiled but couldn't help the cheeky little jibe. Draco elbowed her swiftly but she jumped out the way.

"Well I asked mother to teach me… She was willing to help, and Carlos supplied his word on how the way to capture the heart of a woman is to show her that you can cook without house elves," Draco chuckled. Hermione smiled as she wrapped her arms around him from behind as she rested her head on his back. "I take it you're grateful then?"

"Yes, now I'm going to create a table in my front room, take a shower and sit down with you to eat. Then when we've looked at the jobs, do you want to come with me to get an owl from Diagon alley. And I should be expecting your mother's owl around about the time when we're eating breakfast," Hermione said, partially to him and partially to herself. Draco chuckled as Hermione let go. Then he nodded as she looked at him.

"Oh wait, mother gave me your letter too, she laughed when I told her about Abraxas," Draco smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Bloody pigeon," Hermione murmured as she took the letter that Draco was holding in his hands. Hermione smiled and then walked out of the kitchen and stood in her living room as she opened the letter.

_Hermione_

_That would be delightful, it is high time Molly and I put aside our differences, and it would be ever so lovely to see your dresses. I shall see you all at 1 outside The Three Broomsticks. We're picking up Pansy too, just remember to leave Draco._

_Love Cissy._

Hermione smiled as she looked around for something to use as a table and eventually finding an old quill on her desk she placed it in the middle of the floor and waved her wand decisively. There was a flash and suddenly in the place of the wand stood a quaint wooden table with bleached white wood to match the bookcase. Hermione nodded to herself and then chose another quill which she transfigured into a comfortable wooden chair of the same colour wood.

"Duplo," Hermione murmured as she pointed her wand at the chair and a second later a second chair stood inches away from the first. She turned back to her bedroom and with a casual flick sent the chairs under the table and the entire set to the corner of the room.

Once inside her bedroom she began to gather her things for a shower and once collected she headed out of her room to the bathroom. Only remembering once she was in the shower, that Draco was in the flat and she had no means of travelling back to her room in anything other than a towel once she was showered. So when she emerged from the shower she hoped Draco would still be in the kitchen as she wrapped the towel tightly around herself. Sods law; Draco was sitting on the sofa with a coffee and he looked around as the door opened and smirked.

"Is this how you spend your mornings Mi?" Draco chuckled as he raised one elegant blonde eyebrow. Hermione flicked a birdie his way and headed into her bedroom, making Draco chuckle darkly.

Fifteen minutes later Hermione emerged from her room in dark blue jeans with a low cut black top that showed just enough to make Draco interested, but not enough that every guy could see everything. Making his way up her slim body he noticed how her waist length hair was now brown once more and full of curls that spilled effortlessly over her shoulders and down her back. She was beautiful.

"Hey you, you look beautiful," Draco smiled as she came over to sit with him.

"Thank you," Hermione blushed. Draco grinned as he kissed her forehead.

"You hungry?"

"Starved, is breakfast ready?"

"Yup, it's under the grill," Draco said casually. Hermione's mouth popped open as she listened to what Draco just said before he stood up.

"What did you just say…? Where is the food?"

"It's under the grill… Did I say something wrong?" Draco asked warily.

"No… But since when did you ever opt to keeping something warm under the grill as opposed to a warming spell?"

"Oh, since mother showed me that food tastes better when kept warm under the grill rather than kept warm with a spell," Draco grinned. Hermione shook her head as she moved to sit at the cosy little table which she had magically moved to the corner of the room opposite her desk. Draco came back into the room magically carrying two plates of a very beautiful breakfast of cheese croissant with eggs and bacon and fruit on the side. Hermione practically melted.

"You are just amazing Draco," Hermione murmured as he placed the plate in front of her. Draco just chuckled as he sat down opposite her and began to eat.

Silence reigned over the couple until the food was mostly gone from both of their plates and they were lazily drinking chocolate milkshake while eating the fruit on their plates.

"So tell me, what state of drunkenness did you three boys make it home in?" Hermione asked with a knowing smirk. Draco shook his head as he rubbed his temple.

"Harry and Blaise make _the_ worst drinking partners in the world. Needless to say, we were all pretty sloshed by the time we got home. We stayed at the inn but I feel sorry for Blaise. She took one look at us and sent us all to a three bed room, effectively telling Blaise he was sleeping alone for the night," Draco said wearily.

"You seem pretty sober this morning though," Hermione observed.

"Well you see, when I go out with the guys, I always make sure that I have at least one vial of sobering potion just for me the following morning. Once I'm sober enough I can make more. Once me and Harry were sober around half 9 this morning we scarpered because if looks could kill we would be dead on the floor of The Three Broomsticks. Pansy was not impressed and you do not piss off a pregnant woman, especially one that is beginning to show," Draco explained. Hermione chuckled to herself as she thought of the looks that witch could give. Hermione and Ginny still swear that one of her looks scared off Mrs Norris the once.

Once breakfast was cleared away Hermione took up the paper Draco had brought, but she scanned the jobs area through in less than a minute and threw it in the trash with a snort.

"What?"

"They've basically advertised for another Rita Skeeter," Hermione said angrily as she grabbed her cloak off of the back of her desk chair. Draco smiled softly and shook his head as he stood up too and collected his own cloak.

"So it's now eleven o'clock. I believe you want to get an owl, and probably head to Flourish and Blotts and pick up a dozen more books for your library," Draco drawled smoothly. Hermione felt a shiver run through her at the sound of his drawling, bored tone which was strange, since when was she ever turned on by that. Then the small voice awoke in the back of her head and told her she'd found it attractive from the moment she heard it.

"Yep that sounds about right," Hermione smiled as she tried to modulate her voice and keep the tell-a-tale squeak out of it. She failed miserably and Draco smirked at her.

"You okay Mi?" Draco asked suspiciously. Hermione nodded her head and then pushed her wand into the belt loops of her jeans before slinging her darkest blue cloak over her shoulders and fastening the top two buttons. She then locked the door.

"Meet outside Eyelops?" Hermione asked. Draco nodded and then they both apparated.

Draco and Hermione appeared at the exact same moment outside of Eyelops Owl Emporium and Hermione smiled softly before heading inside to the dark shop. Blinking a few times in the dim light she looked all around her but ignored the side of the shop where cats were kept. At the end of their 6th year she'd let Crookshanks go; she didn't want to spoil his memory with a new cat.

Making her way over to the owl side of the shop hand in hand with Draco she was met with the sound of hooting and ruffling as she seemed to step through a sound barrier.

"Well what are you looking for?" Draco asked softly.

"Not sure yet, I'll know when I've looked," Hermione murmured and she began to make her way through the shelves of cages, studying each owl individually, noting their colour, their sex and their demeanour until she stopped suddenly, which caused Draco to slam straight into her back.

"Damn, warn a guy next time Mi," Draco hissed. Hermione shushed him with a flap of her hand and maintained eye contact with the bird she was facing. The owl was male eagle owl with a black body and wings and his eyes were an alluring amber shade. But he was magnificent, every few feathers seemed to be interlaced with the shiniest silver that caused the owl to look like it had stars on it. He was the one. Slowly she opened the cage and the owl hopped down onto her outstretched arm and blinked one eye at Hermione, before leaning forwards and giving her an affectionate nibble on the hand that was raised to stroke its black head.

"Hello Loki," Hermione murmured. Draco looked at Hermione strangely, thinking it was a crazy name to call an owl, but Hermione ignored him, the name slipped easily from her mouth, that was the name of that specific creature. The owl gave a low melodic hoot in acceptance and then hopped back inside its cage. Hermione reached out and shut the cage door before taking the top of the cage and heading to the counter.

"Hello there… Let's see who you've got there then," The woman behind the counter smiled. Hermione smiled softly as she placed the cage on the shelf.

"Ahh you've got a little fighter there," The woman smiled.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"This bird is only a year old, but ever since he's been here he's been approached by all manner of witches and wizards and every single one he attacks, making only Merlin knows how much noise until I have to go over there and advise the choice of another bird. But he's here quiet and happy as punch, he is a magnificent owl and since he looks so happy, I'd be pleased to give you to him for only half his normal price," The woman smiled. Hermione grinned as she thanked the woman.

As Hermione paid for her owl Draco wandered around the shop looking around at all the little things and deciding he was going to buy Hermione some things for her owl, she couldn't complain, they were practical.

"Dray? Are you coming?" Hermione asked as she stood by the window holding a cage that she had covered with a dark cloth.

"Yeah, how about I meet you in Flourish and Blotts, I want to get a few things," Draco smiled. Hermione grinned and headed out of the shop as Draco turned back to the owl supplies.

"You're very transparent you know," The woman spoke up. Draco jumped and looked to the left where the woman was now standing.

"What do you mean?"

"Well anyone can tell you're buying stuff for your girlfriend, so what are you looking for?" Draco stared at the woman for a second then recovered himself.

"I need some little things like owl treats and the harnesses for carrying letters which saves her having to tie anything to Loki's leg," Draco said softly.

"She named him Loki? Very good choice of name, that owl is always full of mischief if he's not content," The woman laughed as she picked up a few items off the shelves and beckoned Draco to follow her back to the counter.

"Should I be on my guard with Loki?" Draco asked.

"Yup, he's a feisty one. If he sees you not impressed with his Hermione then you're gonna get a nipped finger and a cuffed head," The woman grinned. Draco gulped then scowled as he paid the woman for his purchases and then magically gift wrapped them before shrinking them down to a pocket size and walking from the shop to find Hermione in Flourish and Blotts.

At 5 to one, Draco was stood outside Flourish and Blotts with Hermione, holding Loki and with her dozen new books shrunk and in his pocket.

"Will I see you later?" Hermione asked as she tried to maintain her public image and not touch Draco.

"Well I was thinking maybe you'd like to come to dinner with me, on a date?" Draco asked softly. Hermione's eyes grew wide . This would be a proper date, not a ruse to lure out a meddlesome reporter. A proper date with Draco Malfoy, her boyfriend.

"You do know, if we do that we'll have every reporter from here to Hogwarts on our case begging for a story.

"And we'll give them a few answers and leave them be, none of them can be as spiteful as Rita Skeeter," Draco shrugged.

"Okay then, when are you going to pick me up?" Hermione asked Draco brushed a curly brown lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering ever so slightly longer on her face and neck as he did so.

"How about I'll pick you up at half 7, and dress up Mi," Draco murmured and quickly without even considering the people around them he pulled Hermione forwards and planted a quick soft kiss on her mouth before apparating, leaving Hermione to apparate away as she heard the oncoming sound of reporters.

Hermione found herself standing right outside the Three Broomsticks, a second before Ginny and Mrs Weasley turned up. Pansy and Narcissa were already stood there waiting with smiles on their faces. Hermione turned to face the two older women who were staring at each other with tension in their shoulders, each one wondering whether they would need to defend themselves and Hermione saw that straight away.

"Narcissa Captonia, meet Molly Weasley, Molly Weasley, Narcissa Captonia," Hermione said with a tentative smile as she introduced the two. Both women seemed to relax and then in an instant they were hugging each other, both talking extremely fast. Hermione was not shocked about Mrs Weasley's behaviour, but Narcissa's behaviour stunned her silent. Narcissa was almost sobbing and laughing and talking loudly at the same time as Molly, all the regal pretence gone from the woman who now appeared years younger. Hermione cut her eyes first to Pansy and then to Ginny and noticed the identical open mouths and wide eyes as they stared at the women they assumed to be enemies.

"So you two knew each other?" Ginny asked her mother as she pulled away from Narcissa and looked her up and down.

"Of course. Narcissa and I were close friends at Hogwarts, in secret of course…" Molly supplied and Narcissa jumped in with the remainder of the story.

"But when Bellatrix started asking questions we agreed to end our friendship. It was too risky, Bellatrix being who she was. Then when I left Hogwarts I was to marry Lucius Malfoy, and Merlin forbid I even be seen talking to a "blood traitor"," Narcissa's voice turned venomous at the mention of her former husband and her voice alone sketched quotation marks around the blood traitor title. Narcissa and Molly then looked between the three girls all now stood side by side wearing expressions of varying degrees of shock and then they started laughing.

"So lunch anyone?" Molly asked.

Half an hour later the five women were sat at a table all nursing a butterbeer, except for Pansy who had managed to get Blaise to make her a hot chocolate.

"You still pissed at him?" Hermione asked with a grim smile.

"Oh you bet. I told him not to get drunk last night, I told him and he went and did it anyway. So I told Draco not to give him any hangover potion and he's suffering, plus he knows he's sleeping in a different room tonight. I _bloody well warned him_," Pansy snarled. Narcissa chuckled gently and laid her hand over Pansy's fist disrupting the murderous gaze Pansy had directed towards her husband.

"Don't forget that you need him at the minute Pansy," Narcissa smiled carefully. "And don't let the hormones take control. It's been a hard battle for me not to snap at Carlos," Narcissa said. Then she stopped herself. Hermione realised too late that Narcissa had just given her secret away, only, when she looked at Narcissa she realised the woman had done it on purpose.

"Cissa you're pregnant?" Pansy asked quietly. Narcissa nodded and withdrew a small picture from her pocket.

"13 weeks today, I had my scan this morning," Narcissa smiled proudly as she slipped the picture to Pansy slyly. Hermione looked over Pansy's shoulder and smiled widely at the little fuzzy image of the tiny little baby that was hidden inside Narcissa. Once they'd drunk their fill Hermione passed the tiny picture to Mrs Weasley and Ginny who ahhed and passed it back.

"So Mione… How's life with Malfoy?" Ginny asked as she waggled her eyebrows. Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes.

"It's fine Ginny, nothing scandalous I can assure you… Unless you count the fact that Draco kissing me is probably going to be all over every single magazine and newspaper in the wizarding world by tomorrow morning, probably accompanied by some slanderous title such as _"Gryffindor Princess sleeping with the Slytherin Prince?"_ or _"Hermione Granger not just 'friends' with Draco Malfoy"_ or quite possibly _"Celebrated War Hero tainted by her relationship to Pureblood Death Eater"_," Hermione groaned, sketching air quotes around each one before resting her head in her hands. The other women chuckled at Hermione.

"Hey it could be worse Mione. I mean at least you're not pregnant with him, the papers would have a field day with that especially as you're not married," Pansy smirked causing Hermione to glare at her with an expression akin to one Draco could pull.

"I wish he'd think occasionally," Hermione groaned.

"Hey, Slytherins think through everything. It's you Gryffindors who jump head first into a situation with no sense of self-preservation or a plan to get out," Pansy protested. Ginny and Hermione opened their mouths to protest, but then remembering times when they had both done something extremely reckless and life threatening without so much as a thought about how to get out, they sobered, which caused Pansy and the two elder women to laugh.

"But when you're best friends with Harry Potter you need to know how to move and move quickly without thinking. Thinking could cost you your life," Hermione defended.

"But amazingly, so can not thinking," Pansy pointed out with a smirk. Hermione rolled her eyes and took a sip of her butterbeer as Narcissa observed her.

I'll tell you this Hermione. There is one good trait that Draco has gained from his father," Narcissa started with a soft smile. The other women looked up, suddenly interested. "Lucius did nothing by halves. Whether it was the initial stages of our marriage when we conceived Draco," Narcissa said with a suggestive pause. "Or something nefarious, he did it to the best of his ability. Draco has inherited that… Only if he really doesn't want to do it he refuses to put his all into it. The fact he revealed your relationship means he is serious and doesn't want to have to hide. He's giving it his all." Hermione was blushing right to the roots of her hair, not just in pleased embarrassment, but in shocked mortification at the implication of Lucius' skills in bed.

"Awh that's sweet. No wonder Draco and Harry never used to get along. They're both people who do everything to the best of their ability. So when it came to hating each other, they applied the same theory and _hated_ each other," Ginny smirked. Hermione nodded her head in agreement with a rueful smile.

"So what did you want to see me about today Cissa?" Hermione asked. Narcissa smiled as she unfolded her hands and placed one on her invisible baby bump.

"It no longer matters, we're discussed it. However it's 2pm, do you not need to get dresses Ginny?" Narcissa asked. Ginny gasped and nodded.

"Yes, yes of course," Ginny said as she stood. Pansy called over a younger waitress and asked her to clean the table before walking out with everyone else.

Ginny and Molly side-along apparated Pansy and Hermione to one of two bridal shops in Diagon Alley while Narcissa who knew the place apparated alone. Once all the women were inside another woman in smart black robes walked up to them.

"Hello Ladies, I'm Mya, how may I be of assistance," The woman smiled. Everyone in Hermione's group turned to Ginny who then turned to the woman.

"I'm getting married, and I'm looking for a dress for my bridesmaid, a dress for my maid of honour and then a dress for me," Ginny said, indicating Pansy and Hermione in turn. The woman smiled and nodded.

"Who would you like done first?" Mya asked.

"Um… Can I have Pansy done first please? Pansy and Hermione are to be dressed in emerald green as the colour scheme is ivory and emerald green. Pansy is also pregnant so we will need a dress suitable for her," Ginny said assertively.

Mya nodded then pondered for a minute and lightly pulled Pansy forwards so she could inspect her figure, then she pursed her lips and turned to face the empty space in front of her. With a quick practised motion she moved her wand through the air elegantly and called forwards 5 dresses all in the most beautiful shade of emerald green. Ginny stepped forwards and looked at the five, but then her eyes and everyone else's eyes focused on one specific dress.

The dress was strapless and fell to the floor from the bust in soft light sheets of emerald silk. Pansy reached out to touch the dress and the woman smiled.

"Here, do you wish to try it on?" Mya asked. Pansy nodded and she followed after her towards the back of the store. Minutes later Pansy appeared in front of them, the dress she was wearing complimented her eyes, her hair and her cute little baby bump perfectly. She looked gorgeous. Hermione looked across at Ginny who was smiling as if she was fit to burst.

"You look gorgeous Pansy," Ginny smiled. Hermione nodded in agreements and Pansy disappeared back into the changing room and appeared moments later with the dress on the hanger in a bag and handed it to Mya, who was scrutinising Hermione.

"Maid of Honour right?" Mya said to Ginny. Ginny nodded.

"Can I ask what exactly it is you're looking for, for yourself Miss Weasley," The woman asked. Ginny didn't say anything about having her maiden name used, it was too obvious who she was anyway and she pondered for a few minutes.

"I'm not particularly sure. But I have 2 styles I like. An A-line strapless type which is floor length, or a one shoulder, one sleeved dress that is short in the front and long in the back," Ginny said shyly. Hermione had the distinct feeling that this was the first time Ginny had actually mentioned her preferred styles in front of her mother.

"Okay then, would you mind if I find dresses for you first? I can style your maid based on your dress then," Mya asked. Ginny nodded and stepped forwards. But Mya with a mysterious smile took Ginny's hand and led her to the back of the shop so no one could see what was happening or see the dress.

Half an hour later Mya appeared, beaming, as she carried a dress in a bag out to Hermione and beckoned for her to follow. Hermione looked back at Pansy nervously as she followed after Mya. Pansy gave her an encouraging grin and Hermione quickly followed after Mya who led her to a cubicle opposite Ginny.

Mya unzipped the dress and hung it up as Hermione twiddled her thumbs then she stepped back so Hermione could see it and when she did, she gasped.

The dress was floor length and made of the same green silk as Pansy's, but unlike Pansy's Hermione's dress was fitted to her waist and had one green sleeve made of net that shimmered in the light. Hermione was speechless as she ran her hand over the soft green pleats than spanned over the bust of the dress.

"It's beautiful," Hermione murmured.

"Try it on and meet us outside," Mya smiled.

Hermione stripped her clothes off quickly and then she waved her wand at the dress watching as it appeared on her body in a perfect fit. Slowly she turned around and watched herself in the mirror. The dress made her look beautiful and elegant and she knew instinctively that her hair would need to be black for the wedding. Black goes best with the green. Taking a breath she turned around to walk out of the curtain and she saw Ginny standing opposite her standing in her dress.

"Sweet Merlin Ginny, you look, oh wow," Hermione breathed.

Ginny was stood there in a dress that was short in the front and long in the back with a train about a metre long. On her feet were a pair of ivory court shoes, with the softest emerald patterns through them. The dress itself flared out at her hips and the bodice was simple ivory pleats while the sleeves of the dress were white net with ribbons of green through them. Over her long red hair sat a veil that covered her face to her chin and lengthened gradually until it rested around the centre of her back, imitating the fall of the dress perfectly. Mrs Weasley was staring at her only daughter openly crying, but keeping her distance as she didn't want to ruin the dress.

"Mione you look gorgeous," Ginny gasped.

"Nothing on you I assure you, you look gorgeous. Harry won't know what hit him," Hermione smiled.

"Nor will Draco," Ginny smirked, making Hermione blush.


	21. Coffee

Hermione arrived back in her flat by 4pm after going back to Captonia Manor for tea with Narcissa, Molly, Pansy and Ginny, and realising she had at least an hour and a half before she had to get ready she curled up on her sofa with the book that was teaching her how to become an animagus. She had seen her animal, she now knew what it was but the question was how to get her body to be forced into that form. There was no incantation for this particular part of the transformation. It was done solely on the magic that lived inside of the person and that was why so many people couldn't do it. As Hermione finished the little paragraph that told her that she had to imagine herself becoming the creature and willing herself into its form with her magic, her mind began to wander to the dress she had bought for her dinner with Draco.

The dress was thigh length, fitted her like a glove and was practically backless as the neck of the dress scooped down to expose almost all of her back in a soft V that stopped at the base of her back. The Slytherin green of the dress gave way only to the silver silk at the hem of the dress. It was simple but elegant and not something Hermione would normally wear, but when she had let slip that she had a date with Draco that night, Ginny and Pansy had insisted that they help her find a dress and Narcissa and Molly had been there to help. Hermione chose the dress she could cope in the most. As some of Pansy's and Ginny's designs were too daring and some of Molly's and Narcissa's were a tad bit old fashioned for her taste, the dress she chose was one of Pansy's and Ginny's ideas in the end.

It was in the rare moments she spent alone that Hermione began to think back on all the things she should have done differently where her parents were concerned.

"No," Hermione murmured out loud as she cut her thoughts off cold. "Don't go there." Hermione stood up and stretched before making her way over to her desk where Loki was sleeping in his cage. It was only when she sat down when she realised that on the desk were 2 little gift wrapped boxes. Frowning Hermione touched her finger to the box and watched as it grew to its normal size then she unwrapped the bigger one, which turned out to be all manner of treats and things for Loki. Unwrapping the second package revealed a delicate letter cage that could be tied to Loki's leg so he could deliver letters easier and she could attach them easier. They were obviously presents from Draco.

Smiling Hermione sat down and drew paper and pen towards her as her mind began to focus on the only person she was able to see at the minute.

_Harry_

_I know I only saw you three days ago, but I need some company to take my mind off things, if only for an hour. Do you want to meet me at the little muggle coffee shop we used to go to when I was staying with my parents?_

_Could really do with a chat,_

_Love Hermione_

_P.S. Owl is called Loki. Watch yourself._

Hermione finished the letter and folded it so it would fit comfortably inside the letter cage and when she looked up she saw Loki staring at her with one amber eye and she smiled as she opened the cage.

"Come here boy," Hermione cooed. The owl hooted softly as he hopped out of his cage and onto the desk. Hermione smiled softly at the owl as she stroked his head. "Can I tie this to your leg please?" The owl blinked one amber eye lazily in assent and held out a leg for Hermione to tie to the straps around. With a spell she fixed the straps snugly around his leg and put the letter inside the cage. "Take this to Harry Potter for me, and be nice… Oh and here," Hermione waved her wand over the owl then smiled. "That should get you through his wards." Loki hooted softly and took off out of the window Hermione opened magically.

Half an Hour later Loki returned and he fluttered down onto the desk, waking his mistress from her light sleep. Hermione jumped and then looked at the letter Loki held inside his harness. She could see her own writing so it was obvious Harry had replied on the back of the letter. With a swift smile at Loki, she relieved him of his letter ad he hopped back into his cage, somehow managing to close the cage door with one of his claws.

"Well aren't you a clever boy," Hermione cooed softly. Loki only clicked his beak in the direction of the letter. Hermione smirked and opened the letter to see the hurried scrawl of her oldest friend.

_Hermione,_

_Sure thing, I'll see you there in five._

_Harry_

_P.S. Beautiful owl Hermione, reminds me a bit of Buckbeak… Very proud._

Hermione chuckled at Harry's P.S. then looked with a smile at her 'Very proud' owl.

"Harry seems to think you're proud Loki," Hermione said softly. The owl somehow managed to puff out its chest in an important way and Hermione giggled. "Right, I'm going to meet Harry, I'll be an hour, windows open if you wanna go out," Hermione smiled softly. Loki blinked an eye at Hermione then covered his head with his wing, obviously choosing to sleep. So making sure that her front door was locked she apparated out of her flat to the small alley by the little coffee shop.

Just as Hermione sat down on a soft cushy chair upstairs with a coffee Harry appeared with his own coffee in hand and sat opposite her. Neither friend felt the need to start jumping in with conversation; their greetings were said in the small smile on their lips and the sparkle in their eye. Ginny had only witnessed their new greeting once around two months after Ron left and Hermione and Harry came back from somewhere alone. Of course being a hot headed Weasley she jumped to the worst possible scenario for her and cried for hours until Harry convinced her that Hermione is like his sister, will always be like his sister and was no way involved with him past their sibling love for each other.

The silence continued for a few minutes as they drank their drinks until Harry lowered his and looked into its depths with a frown on his forehead.

"Mione?" Harry murmured.

"Mmh?" Hermione answered.

"Do you ever… Do you ever think about Ron? Wonder what he's doing?" Harry asked in a small voice. Hermione froze for a second and looked up at her the man who was as good as her brother with her icy retort on the tip of her tongue. But when she saw the look on his face she felt the iciness melt.

"Not really… And if I do, I… I don't think nice things. Harry what brought this on?" Hermione questioned quietly as she wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug.

"I guess I understand where you're coming from… I just, we only have 2 weeks left till the wedding and because Ginny is getting married to me, she can't have one of her brothers at her wedding. I mean he should be here…For Ginny," Harry said quietly. Hermione sighed almost inaudibly.

"Have you spoken to Ginny about this?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know whether to mention it, because practically all the Weasley's disowned Ron when he left, I'm not sure where Ginny stands. I dunno whether to ask her or just leave it," Harry sighed.

"Harry put it this way. You can ask her and the worst that happens is she says no I don't want him there and doesn't speak to you for an hour, or you can invite him off the bat and she blows up at you on your wedding day. It's not really my decision to make if you understand me," Hermione said. Harry smirked at her tone as he immediately recognised the know it all voice but Hermione ignored him very used to the smirk he presented her with, instead she got back at him.

"You look like Draco when you do that," Hermione said as she raised her drink to her mouth. Harry's jaw dropped open and he spluttered, lost for words for a few seconds.

"I do not," Harry finally gasped.

"Yeah, sure," Hermione said patronisingly, earning herself a withering glare from Harry. The couple lapsed into silence again after that, until Harry noticed Hermione staring at a small muggle family seemingly unconsciously.

"Mione?" Harry murmured. Hermione cut her eyes to her friend and he was startled to see that her eyes were wet with unshed tears. He quickly moved around to her side and wrapped her in a hug. "I'm sorry," Harry whispered as Hermione dissolved into tears, but after a few seconds she shrugged away.

"I don't understand what's wrong with me. I mean when I'm with Draco I'm fine, but now I'm on my own I'm a mess," Hermione sniffled as tears kept rolling down her face.

"Hermione you lost your parents. It's not like losing Remus and Tonks. You could argue that I don't know what it's like but just know that you don't have to be on your own, because I'll be here for you. And don't forget Draco wants to help too," Harry said in a low voice as he pulled her back into his arms. Hermione sniffled a few more times then fell quiet.

After a few minutes of just sitting there Hermione took a deep breath and sat up.

"You okay?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded with a soft smile.

"I will be," Hermione grinned.

"Good… You have everyone behind you to get you through this you know that," Harry murmured before he placed a kiss on top of her head and settled back in his chair. Hermione nodded her head and took a deep breath before finishing her almost cold coffee.

"So how are you holding up? Surely the Weasley's is getting hectic?" Hermione asked with a grin. Harry sighed heavily and ruffled his already messy hair.

"I've avoided the place. Ginny spends some time there but comes back to Grimmauld Place in the worst mood possible. I spend most my time at work at the minute, Kingsley's given me extra work as an excuse," Harry murmured. Hermione gasped then covered her mouth as a snicker escaped.

"You asked Kingsley for more work?"

"Hey, at school I was only lazy because Ron was. I actually read all my set books in the holidays!" Harry said indignantly. "And I always downplayed what I could do in class because Ron would get hissy." Hermione gawped at Harry and then groaned.

"Please tell me you did the best you could in your exams." Hermione asked causing Harry to grimace.

"I did the best I could but if I didn't do well in my tests it was because I didn't exactly revise much," Harry answered. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"That boy was terrible for you," Hermione then said. Harry shrugged.

"He was my first friend what could I do?" Harry replied.

The friends lapsed into silence again until Harry frowned.

"Why did you say you only had around an hour or so?" Harry asked and Hermione blushed.

"Draco's taking me out on a date. I don't know where we're going but… yeah. He's picking me up at half 7. He told me so right after he kissed me in public," Hermione said quietly.

"He did what?"

"Kissed me… In public," Hermione repeated.

"Well if he chose to make your relationship public at least we know he's serious right?" Harry eventually said.

"I guess so," Hermione shrugged.

Harry and Hermione spent another half an hour in each other's company then Hermione apparated back to her flat. When she got there she found Pansy and Ginny leaning casually against her wall.

"Merlin's beard!" Hermione yelped. "What are you doing here?" Pansy and Ginny only laughed.

"We're here to help you get ready for your date with The Dragon," Pansy smirked. Hermione blushed and unlocked her door with a key and allowed Ginny and Pansy into her small flat.

As soon as she was over the threshold Ginny moved straight for Hermione's bedroom while Pansy took Hermione over to a chair and sat her down.

"Seriously guys I can get ready you know," Hermione pouted as Ginny re-appeared from her bedroom with her barely touched make-up, straighteners and all manner of other female products Hermione had always abandoned.

"Mione this is your first official date with Dragon, we want him to find you unbelievably stunning Pansy winked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Okay," Hermione conceded, knowing it was useless to argue with Pansy or Ginny on their own, let alone when they were together. Ginny and Pansy hi-fived each other and then set to work.

Hermione was first ordered in the shower and told to wash her hair and when she returned she was forced to sit in a chair for an hour as Pansy and Ginny worked on her hair, nails and face until they were satisfied. Pansy then used her magic to swap Hermione's dressing gown (which she wore over lacy black underwear with a clear strap on her bra) for her dress. Ginny then helped Hermione to slide on and fasten the green and silver heels she had matched with the dress. Once the shoes were on Pansy enlarged a mirror from her bag and allowed Hermione to have a look at herself.

Hermione gasped as she caught sight of the witch in the mirror. Her long brown hair hung over her right shoulder in elegant waves and her face looked almost flawless. Pansy had opted for the smokey eye look and the dark red lipstick that she wore stood out without making her look like a harlot. Hermione knew that the dress fitted her in all the right places, emphasising all her curves but she was stunned further when she found that with the right make-up and hair the dress seemed to radiate beauty. Completing the look with heels coupled with the short dress gave Hermione the appearance of having longer legs than she did.

"There is no way Draco is going to find any faults. You look perfect," Pansy said softly.

"I don't think there's any way anyone will find faults to be honest. Draco will be fighting them off for you," Ginny then answered. Pansy then stood back and frowned.

"Wait I almost forgot." Pansy drew from her bag an emerald and silver purse bag and from inside it a box. "I found some earrings that would go perfectly. Since your hair is over one shoulder you need something that dangles and sparkles so here. That's all I got in the jewellery sense. Oh and you may _borrow_ the bag," Pansy grinned. Hermione gasped as she saw the earrings, they were perfect.

Hermione slipped the earrings in and then slid her money purse (not that she thought she'd need it), phone and a lippy into her someone knocked the door. Pansy and Ginny went to open the door while Hermione shuffled nervously. It was half 7 on the dot.

"Hey Pansy, Ginny, what are you doing here?" Draco asked from outside.

"We came to help your girlfriend get ready," Ginny replied.

"She could get ready on her..." Draco came round the door and froze. "Own." He eventually finished when he managed to get his lungs to work. "Wow Mione. You look… wow." Hermione blushed and walked forwards nervously, admiring Draco in his grey almost silver suit complete with a white shirt and a green tie.

"We match," Hermione observed as she reached Draco.

"Thanks to my mother, she told me your dress colour… You look amazing," Draco whispered softly as he cupped Hermione's face. He was just about to lean down and kiss her when he was interrupted by a shocked screech.

"No! Wait!" Pansy yelled. Draco and Hermione jumped.

"What?" Draco drawled as he faced Pansy who was marching forwards with her wand in her hand.

"Unless you want to smudge her lipstick on your mouth please let go of the witch and step away," Pansy said in a rush. Draco lifted his hands and stepped back in surrender and Pansy smiled sweetly before murmuring a spell she directed towards Hermione's face and hair then stepped back away from the couple. "There, now you may kiss her," Pansy grinned. Draco rolled his eyes and pulled Hermione against him and kissed her softly.

"You look good enough to eat," Draco whispered into Hermione's ear, causing her to blush even further.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Hermione then smirked, causing Draco to laugh. Pansy and Ginny slipped out of the door after waving to Hermione and she waved back as Draco took her hand.

"Right shall we go," I have a reservation booked for quarter to 8," Draco grinned.

"Where are we going this time? Italy?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not just going to tell you," Draco winked. "But I do hope you like French food," Draco then grinned before he headed to the door and picked light grey coat off a hanger and handed it to Hermione as she passed him.

"It probably won't help your ego, but you're amazing," Hermione murmured. Draco shrugged and waited for Hermione to lock her door.

"I know," Draco grinned then one she'd taken his arm, he disapparated.


	22. The Date

As soon as they landed in the harbour by the restaurant Draco looked down at the beautiful petite witch in his arms. She was gazing out across the sea which was twinkling in the light of the stars and the silver orbs that were allowed to float above the water in the wizard's beach, and when he heard her sigh he snaked his arms around her waist and turned her.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Draco asked quietly as he raised one hand to her chin and made Hermione meet his eyes.

"Yeah it's… wow," Hermione said with a soft smile. "Where are we?" She then asked as that little endearing crease appeared in her brow as she started sifting through all the information she knew.

"We're at a small wizard's only beach just south of France on one of the islands," Draco supplied then he cleared his throat delicately. "This area of beach actually belongs to my mother as a present from my father back in their days of actual romance."

"Oh," Hermione said softly, her cute red tinted mouth forming a perfect O shape as she did so.

"You look so beautiful tonight Mione, so, so beautiful," Draco whispered as he leant down to capture Hermione's mouth with his.

Hermione felt Draco's lips against hers and she felt something break inside her causing her to give herself over to the sensations of the kiss and wrap her arms around his neck as she kissed him passionately. She felt Draco's arms wrap around her waist and secure her to him as he kissed her back just as desperately, until she finally had to breathe.

"Wow," Draco breathed as he rested his forehead against Hermione's. Hermione could only stare into the molten silver depths of the man she had come to love until he blinked and pulled away, slipping an arm around her waist as he lead her in the direction of the restaurant.

On the short walks there Hermione tried to analyse what had changed or what was so different with the way she was feeling about Draco. Something had broken down inside her and she suddenly wanted him more than she ever had before in her life. It was confusing and electrifying all at the same time.

Hermione and Draco were greeted outside by a wizard dressed in a crisp black suit and he immediately recognised Draco and waved them in showing them to a table at the back of the half-filled restaurant. Hermione could feel the eyes on her all the way to her seat but she ignored them.

"Sorry about the staring. This place is very erm… pureblood," Draco said quietly. Hermione could tell that he felt embarrassed about bringing her so she covered his hand with hers and smiled.

"Let them stare," Hermione murmured softly. Draco grinned at Hermione and was thankful that she was as confident and brave as she was then he called for a waiter.

The man who had seated them hurried up to them and handed their menus across to them and quietly waited in place for Hermione and Draco to decide and when they did Draco allowed Hermione to order first before he placed his own order and sent the man away. Another waited walked up and placed a bottle of vintage wine on the table and backed away quickly.

"So, how have you been?" Draco asked conversationally as he poured himself and Hermione a glass of the wine put aside for the Malfoys, but he looked up just in time to see the grimace flash across Hermione's face.

"Lonely…and when I'm lonely I think about them," Hermione shrugged as she tried to blow off her feelings. Only Draco wasn't having it and he looked straight at her softly.

"You could move back in with me. No one will think anything of it if you did," Draco murmured.

"I don't want to give up. I've never been a quitter, I can't quit at this Draco," Hermione whispered urgently.

"Okay…well let me come around and visit you…maybe stay the night once in a while, and you come and visit me, we could both go and visit Elizabeth, just don't lock yourself up in your flat," Draco smiled. Hermione smiled back and then leant back in her chair.

"What have you been doing with yourself?" Hermione asked.

"Making plans for Malfoy Manor to be knocked to rubble and built back up again," Draco drawled calmly as if knocking down his ancestral home was something simple. Hermione gawped at him.

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly," Draco answered.

"Why?"

"I want to eventually live in the manor and at the minute every wall in every room is tainted by my father's presence and his lifestyle of serving Voldemort. I want to eventually raise a family, but I will never do so in that manor," Draco said quietly. Although Hermione couldn't hear any anger or hardness in his voice, she could see the hatred and the anger that Draco felt for that house in his eyes, although she doubted that anyone else would be able to tell. Hermione reached out and laid her hand against his cheek and his eyes softened back to their normal liquid silver; then their food came.

Over their meal Hermione and Draco didn't feel the need to say much, there wasn't a need to fill every single second of silence between them and Hermione found that she had missed being around Draco all day more than she'd like to admit. So when Draco paid the bill and asked if she wanted to go for a walk she was more than willing to take his hand and walk along.

Draco took Hermione out of the restaurant and down a gradually sloping pathway but when they reached sand Hermione stopped.

"Is there a problem?" Draco asked as he turned around.

"No, it's just I'll struggle in the heels on this sand I was going to take off my shoes," Hermione blushed. Draco chuckled and waited for her to take her shoes off and retake his hand, before he set off again along the beach as the tide rushed up the sand towards them but never quite touched them.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked after a few seconds.

"I want to show you a little place. My mother had a small cottage built for me on this island when I turned seventeen as a coming of age present. It was probably a relief to her to be able to give me something nice after the war but I've only visited this place once and I decided never to come back till I had someone to show it to…here it is," Draco murmured. Hermione stopped next to Draco and looked at where he was pointing.

Nestled into the forest was a small cottage with a white porch, white door, white walls and a red roof and it seemed to softly glow from the wizard lights hidden in the trees.

"It's beautiful," Hermione whispered.

"Yup… Do you…do you want to come in and spend some time with me?" Draco asked nervously. Hermione looked up at him and nodded.

"Yes." Draco grinned and took Hermione's hand, led her up the stairs and opened the door for her.

As soon as the door was opened, the cottage flooded with light and Hermione could see that the living room was styled on the beach with white washed furniture, white stone floors and blue rugs here and there. The house was evidently a Malfoy dwelling, it had a feel of luxury about it, but Hermione couldn't help but love this building. Draco hung up his jacket and walked over to a small fridge and withdrew a bottle of red wine from it.

"Join me?" Draco asked softly as he indicated the front porch. Hermione nodded and she scooped up a blanket off the back of the chair and ran out onto the beach itself, leaving Draco to get glasses and follow her.

Hermione spread the blanket out on the floor then stood on it as she faced out to sea as Draco walked up behind her. She heard him lay the bottle and two glasses down on the blanket then she felt his fingers trail down her exposed spine and she shivered.

"You okay?" Draco asked as he continued running his fingers across her back, knowing she enjoyed it.

"Yes I'm fine," Hermione murmured before she turned and pulled away so she could sit down. Draco sat down next to her and poured her a glass of wine Hermione accepted it with a wry smile.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Hermione questioned.

"Maybe," Draco grinned before he poured his own.

For a while the pair watched the sea and the stars and drank their wine quietly then when Hermione finished her drink, she lay back and stared upwards. Draco, having also finished his drink, leant above her and ran a finger over her lips.

"You're so beautiful Mione," Draco whispered before he lowered his mouth onto hers in a soft kiss. Hermione responded by tangling her fingers in his hair and holding him to her.

Their kiss was slow and sensual, but it didn't lack any of the passion it had held earlier, in fact it was more passionate now than it was then and Hermione felt herself melting underneath Draco. Then she felt his hand trail up her thigh and stop at her dress before he pulled back.

"Stay the night…with me…please?" Draco murmured in between kisses. Hermione barely contemplated it before she had nodded her head. Draco let out a quiet noise of happiness before he manoeuvred himself off Hermione, picked her up and carried her inside and set her down in the living room where his hands ghosted over Hermione's exposed back and tangled in her hair as he pulled her mouth back to hers in an almost bruising kiss. Hermione moaned against his mouth and Draco pulled her towards his room and pressed her onto his bed.

Hermione felt the soft sheets beneath her and looked up at Draco with an almost worried look in her eyes but as she went to speak Draco captured her mouth in a kiss once more. This kiss was all fire and passion and any doubts Hermione had felt faded away as she felt his hand's slide beneath her dress to undo the hidden zip at her side to remove it from her body. As her dress slipped off her shoulders she reached out and began to undo Draco's shirt. He pulled it off over his head and then removed the rest of Hermione's dress and allowed Hermione to remove his trousers.

Once they were both dressed in only their most basic underwear Draco slipped under the sheets and invited Hermione to join him. As soon as she did, Draco's mouth was on hers and his hands were exploring her body. Hermione felt his fingers slide inside her pants and part her wet folds. As he did so, his nail brushed against her clit and she jerked in Draco's arms as she moaned.

"Draco…Draco please." Acting on command Draco removed her underwear and slid one finger into Hermione's tightness and began to massage inside her sex as her moans increased in volume. He then slid a second finger in, slowly stretching her, and Hermione began to pant. Draco knelt above her and started to pump his fingers inside her egged on by Hermione's moans and squirms of pleasure. Draco knew that Hermione couldn't think properly and he knew she was close so when he ducked down and used his tongue to drive her over the edge, he wasn't surprised that she cried out in her orgasm immediately.

Hermione felt her body shake as Draco's wicked tongue and fingers wreaked havoc on her body and she heard herself cry out hoarsely, her voice rough in her release. Draco lay down next to her and trailed his fingers over her stomach as her heart rate returned to normal.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked in a low voice. Hermione looked at him as incredulously as she was able to.

"Okay…? I've never felt like that in my life Dray," Hermione panted. Draco's grey eyes sparkled in the dim light and then seemed to turn sheepish and Hermione frowned as she thought something over in her head, Then she smiled and moved so she was kneeling over him.

"What are you do-?" Draco started to ask, but Hermione cut him off by making a burning trail of kisses from his throat to the waistband of his boxers.

"You don't have to do this," Draco murmured.

"But I want to," Hermione whispered. Then she took Draco's member in her fist and began to pump his length slowly. Draco's head tipped back as he let out a soft sigh and Hermione smiled before she leant forwards ad licked Draco's cock from the base to the tip before taking the head in her mouth and sucking as she slowly began to bob up and down.

Draco moaned softly as Hermione's warm mouth engulfed his cock while her hand worked at its base. As she began to speed up a loud moan made its way out of Draco's throat as he tangled his fingers in the soft brown hair that he loved so much, and then he pulled away.

Effortlessly he rolled Hermione underneath him fitting between her legs easily as he kissed a trail down her neck lovingly. Hermione bit her lip to contain the noise of pleasure that escaped her throat but Draco saw her and ran his finger over her lip.

"Don't…I want to hear you," Draco whispered. Hermione found herself lost in the molten silver quality of Draco's eyes and raised her hands to his face. Draco shifted forwards to kiss her and his cock brushed against her, causing them both to moan.

"Please," Hermione hissed. Draco ran his finger over her abdomen and murmured the contraceptive spell and after that he didn't waste another second and slid deep into her, but froze as he heard Hermione's hiss of pain.

"Sorry do you want me to-?" Draco started but Hermione shook her head and dug her nails into his back.

"Just wait," Hermione whispered. Draco wrapped his arms around his witch and kissed her softly as he waited for her to adjust to his size. As his tongue flicked against hers he felt Hermione hook one leg over his waist and he began to move.

Hermione was in heaven. The feel of Draco sliding into her as he kissed and bit her neck was incredible and as Draco sped up all she could do was hold onto him and moan breathlessly. She couldn't fathom why she hadn't wanted him to do this before. Draco's moans became more frequent and he sat up and began to thrust into her at a new angle. At that angle Hermione felt him brush a spot inside her that had her almost over the edge in a single thrust.

Draco watched his witch squirm on the bed as he thrust into her at the angle he knew would press her G spot. He knew he was close to his release and he wanted Hermione to orgasm with him and he knew she was close. Hermione's nails raked over his chest and Draco bit his lip and closed his eyes to try and hold off his release as he heard Hermione cry out.

After three more thrusts Hermione stopped breathing then cried his name, her body arching and shaking as her orgasm hit her. Draco felt her clamp down on his cock and he moaned Hermione's name as his own release washed over him, whiting his vision.

"Shit," Draco groaned, his voice breathy in her ear. "Wow Mi…" Hermione ran her hands through Draco's hair and placed a soft kiss on his shoulder.

"I love you," Hermione whispered. Draco pulled out and rolled off her to lay next to her and traced patterns on her flushed skin.

"I love you too Mione," He answered as he watched his witch fall to sleep.

Hermione woke up with her head on Draco's chest feeling slightly sore but happy, and she couldn't remember why she didn't want to make love to Draco in the first place, but she was glad that the doubt was gone. Draco was snoring lightly and the sun was streaming in from one of the windows as she sat up and stretched languidly. Looking around the room she saw a folded towel on a rack next to a door and she got out of bed and walked into the bathroom picking up the towel as she did so.

After figuring out how to turn the shower on she stepped in and rubbed her hands through her hair with a yawn before smiling to herself as she remembered the previous night with Draco and the feel of his long, slim hands on her skin. Then she heard the shower open and Draco stepped in behind her placing a kiss on her shoulder.

"Morning love," Draco murmured. Hermione smiled and let her head fall back against him as his hands trailed over her torso and trailed down towards her centre. She felt a soft sigh escape her as Draco slid a finger softly inside her while he kissed her neck. She could feel him suck on that small spot and knew she'd have a red mark later but the feel of his fingers and the feel of his naked body against her back blurred her mind.

She felt him smile against her neck before he pulled his finger back and began to rub her clit in quick circles as he wrapped a strong arm around her waist and she was glad of his arm because within seconds she felt her knees shake and she was glad of his support. Draco then withdrew from her and she let out an involuntary mewl of disappointment.

"Patience," Draco whispered in her ear and she began to shake with anticipation.

Draco gently pressed on the top of Hermione's back and she leant forwards bracing her hands against the opposite wall of the shower and he felt a pulse in his abdomen as Hermione stepped wider as the water cascaded down her back. It took a small movement for Draco to enter her and hear her cry of pleasure and he leant forwards and kissed the top of her spine as he thrust into her as hard as he dared.

It took a while for them to finally leave the shower to get breakfast with Hermione wearing one of Draco's shirts and Draco admiring the way the short hemline and the open buttons at the top of the shirt shed an overwhelmingly sexy light on his girlfriend as she moved around the kitchen cooking. Over breakfast Hermione sighed and Draco looked up to see a suddenly sad look cross her face.

"What's up?" Draco murmured. Hermione blushed crimson and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to go back to my flat yet," Hermione murmured.

"Why?" Draco asked with a smirk on his face. Hermione looked up and saw the smirk and swatted at him playfully.

"You know why," Hermione blushed.

"You want to spend more time in my amazing company don't you," Draco grinned. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't say you want me to go back. I know you don't." Draco's eyes dropped to the gap in Hermione's shirt as she shifted and when he met her eyes again his eyes burned.

"Trust me… I'd love to keep you here with me forever, but we have to get you back soon. Ginny will be on my case about wedding stuff if you're not back," Draco sighed. Hermione pushed her empty plate away and shrugged with a mischievous light in her eyes.

"We have 3 hours until Ginny wants to see me, surely we can stay till then." With a wink she stood up and sauntered back into his bedroom. Draco watched the room for a second but when he saw his shirt in her hand through a gap in the doorway he followed her immediately.

Hermione and Draco appeared at the Weasley house just before Ginny started to get mad about where she was. They were fifteen minutes late and Ginny wanted them there to help with wedding things. Pansy saw Draco before Ginny and she recognised the look on his face and slid up to him as Ginny berated Hermione.

"So…good night?" Pansy smirked. Draco smirked back and then caught Pansy in a headlock.

"Shut up," Draco grinned as he watched Hermione flick him a birdie behind her back as it was, after all, his fault that they had been late. He decided he wanted a last minute shower.

"Good morning too I see," Pansy remarked before she twisted out of his grip and sauntered over to Hermione and Ginny.

"…I really need your help Mione. My mom is driving me up the wall with which fabrics should be used for this and which fabrics should be used for that I don't get what the bloody difference is!" Ginny ranted at high speed.

"And breath," Pansy cut in and Ginny took a breath and turned angry eyes on Pansy. "No don't give me that look, calm down. None of this is our fault and I believe Mione has some explaining to do," Hermione looked up at Pansy then at Draco before looking at her hands.

"She already said why she was late, she had a late shower," Ginny answered with a frown. Pansy smirked in Hermione's direction.

"But she didn't say who with."

"WHAT!" Ginny yelled and Hermione jumped a mile in the air before clamping her hand down on her friend's mouth.

"Shh," Hermione hissed then Ginny removed her hand.

"How could you not tell me that you and Draco slept together?" Ginny asked in a whisper.

"You were angry, I thought it could wait," Hermione shrugged. Ginny looked at Hermione incredulously then shook her head.

"Well…how was it?" She then asked. Hermione blushed crimson to the roots of her hair and her friends laughed.

"Blaise tells me there's a reason Draco's called The Dragon, besides the whole name thing," Pansy said suggestively and if it was possible Hermione blushed even more.

Draco walked up behind Hermione and wrapped his hands around her waist and frowned at Pansy.

"Okay, that's enough leave her be," Draco said quietly, but his quiet words held weight and Pansy and Ginny turned their attention to other things while Draco turned Hermione around in his arms. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Hermione smiled. "Thanks for telling Pansy before I could tell Ginny!" She then added sarcastically

"I didn't! Pansy knows me better than anyone else since we were thrown together a lot as kids and she was _supposed_ to be my betrothed," Draco sighed.

"Oh…I'd better go and help Ginny anyways, stay with Harry for a bit, he's hiding over there with Charlie and Bill," Hermione smiled as she pointed in the direction of the garden where she could see Harry's unruly hair. Draco grinned then leant down and kissed her quickly before heading off in the direction Hermione pointed.

Hermione heard someone clear their throat and when she turned around she came face to face with George. There was a beat of silence then George strode up and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.

"Hey Mione," George said to the top of her head.

"Hey George," Hermione said in a muffled voice. George let her go and stood back from her, noticing the way Hermione's hair was still slightly wet and hanging over her shoulders in a way that didn't quite hide the slight red marks on her neck with a mischievous smile.

"So… Hot date with Malfoy I assume," George grinned. Hermione groaned and began to walk towards front door. George kept pace with her. "Very hot date then if you're not confirming it." George insisted.

"Shut up," Hermione said with a wry smile.

"On a serious note Hermione stop." Hermione stopped and looked up at George. She could see the apology forming on his lips and she shook her head.

"It's fine. I understand and I forgave you when I got your letter," Hermione smiled, cutting into whatever George was going to say.

"Great… Now where's Malfoy, I've got an interview to do," George smirked.

"Interview?"

"Well of course, I can't just let him date my sister without my permission now can I?" George grinned. Hermione beamed at him then pointed him in the direction of the garden. George ran off and Hermione pushed the door open and was greeted by a full scale argument between Ginny and Mrs Weasley.

"Oh boy," Hermione sighed then she conjured two cups of tea on a tray and used her wand to make a loud noise.

The two Weasley women jumped into silence and then a silence fell.

"Mrs Weasley and Ginny, here." Hermione sighed as she held out the tray. Ginny took a cup first and Mrs Weasley took one straight after. "No why don't we all take a seat and discuss this calmly?" Hermione suggested. The Weasley women nodded and sat down and Fleur, Angelina and Pansy sighed with relief. "Why don't we start at the beginning and go over this calmly, because we aren't going to get anything done by screaming at each other."


	23. A Hairy Reception

Authors Note - Don't normally do these on this site, but please take the time to re-read or at least read the second half, if you haven't read it already because I have added something big that I forgot upon originally writing it.

Hermione woke up on Draco's sofa to a very annoying noise and a blinding headache.

"What is that sound?" Hermione groaned as she covered her ears. She then felt someone nearby.

"That love, is the sweet sound of an alarm clock at 7am in the morning, telling you that no matter how hungover you may be, you have a wedding to attend," Draco's voice said from nearby. Hermione cursed under her breath as she heard his amusement.

"Not funny Dray," Hermione then murmured sleepily. Her throat was incredibly dry and she still felt incredibly drunk. "Do you have hangover potion here?"

"Of course. I have a hangover potion for all seven of you although Pansy is perfectly fine," Draco's voice smirked. Hermione opened her eyes and sat up slowly, trying to hold down the feeling of wanting to be sick.

"I am never drinking with Ginny ever again," Hermione sighed.

"Hey!" Ginny said in a muffled yell from by the fireplace where she was curled up with a blanket and a pillow, her Weasley red hair all over the place. Hermione spotted the hangover potion on the side in the kitchen area next to Draco's cauldron and she wandlessly summoned it, catching it and drinking it within the same movement.

She froze for a few seconds as the potion began to take effect and burn the alcohol from her system then she sighed tiredly as last night came back to her. Draco had moved to wake up Angelina, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet and she got up and walked over to him after making sure her Gryffindor red dress was pulled down correctly.

"Thank you," Hermione murmured as she hugged him from behind. Draco turned around in her arms and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Not a problem. Now get ready to go to the Weasley's, Molly and my mother are expecting you all there in less than half an hour. Hermione moved towards Draco's room and found her bag on his bed, inside which were clothes for her to travel in, her make-up, her soap and all manner of things that she would have needed but wouldn't have had time to go home and get.

"Thanks Draco!" Hermione yelled and she heard Draco chuckle from the other side of the door. Stepping into the bathroom Hermione moved across to the shower but almost as soon as she had stepped into the shower, Draco walked into the bathroom, stripped off his pyjamas and slid in next to her.

"Hey," Draco whispered before he caught her lips with his.

Hermione and Draco emerged from their room dead on time to leave and the girls exchanged sly looks.

"Shut up," Hermione mumbled as she saw their faces. Draco kissed Hermione softly then threw his floo powder and flooed off to Grimmauld Place and as soon as he was gone Pansy was by her ear.

"Enjoy your shower?" Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled at her pregnant friend.

"Just go," Hermione then said. Pansy smirked at her then threw her floo powder and headed to the burrow, everyone else apparated away.

When they arrived Mrs Weasley was shooing Bill and Charlie into the garden while they levitated flowers behind them and Fleur was cooking in the kitchen.

"Finally you're here," Mrs Weasley sighed as she caught her daughter around her shoulders. "Your brothers are outside setting things up, you should be upstairs getting ready, you too Hermione and Pansy, upstairs, chop chop!" Hermione grinned at Ginny and then headed upstairs to the first floor where Ginny's room was. The room was filled with all kinds of paraphernalia for the girls to get ready and Hermione sighed. Pansy caught her shoulders and grinned at her.

"Don't worry Hermione. It will all be over soon," Pansy smirked. Ginny laughed and shut the door.

At five to three Draco was stood next to a very nervous Harry who was running his hand through his hair repeatedly as Blaise, his best man, approached them through the guests.

"Dude, calm the hell down," Blaise smirked as he clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"It's not you getting married now is it?" Harry hissed. Draco rolled his eyes and stood in front of his friend.

"Mate, you faced down Voldemort-," Draco started but Harry shook his head.

"Voldemort is nothing compared to Ginny," Harry murmured. Draco rolled his eyes and caught Harry's shoulders turning him bodily so he could stare him down.

"Potter, you've known the girl for years, you've spent months in that house with her…you know this girl and you should not be bricking it at the thought of marrying her. As much as I hate to admit it, you're Harry bloody Potter, the golden boy and chosen one, freaking act like it and cut the nervousness," Draco said firmly. Harry's emerald eyes focused on his and he gradually calmed down, breathing a deep sigh as he saw Mrs Weasley come running out of the house to tell them to get started.

Harry and Ginny were getting married in the massive Weasley garden beneath two old trees that had leaves that hung down and would provide shade for the couple. Everyone else was sat in white chairs under the shade of an oak tree and Draco had to admit that the setting was beautiful. The Weasley garden was something that once upon a time he would have turned his nose up at, but now he could appreciate the beauty in the random shrubs and flowers sprawled carelessly around and he could appreciate the softness of the uneven grass. In the carelessness of the garden he could feel that boundless love that Mr and Mrs Weasley gave off.

Draco stood back from Harry and Blaise and took a seat in the front isle as Mrs Weasley rushed up the path and shushed the guests before taking her seat as music began to float over the area.

Hermione, just outside the garden gate and out of view with Pansy, Ginny and Mr Weasley, was waiting patiently for the music to start and when it did Pansy started to move forwards elegantly despite the pregnancy bump that you could barely see under her dress and the specific colouring of her dress seemed to fade into the grass. There was a change in the music and Hermione took her cue to start to walking, making sure her long skirt didn't snag on anything as she walked, but she needn't have worried, she made it to the start of the aisle without problems. She tightened her grip on her bouquet and waited for the trill in the music that signalled Ginny was about to walk through the gate and she started to walk down the aisle ignoring the way heads followed her, trying not to see the way Draco was staring at her.

Draco was transfixed, Hermione was beautiful. Her hair was back to the deepest black he'd ever seen, but instead of the straight hair she had opted for before, her hair was as curly as it had once been and hung around her shoulders effortlessly. Her face had a flawless look to it and her brown eyes were complimented by thick lashes that brushed her cheekbones on every blink. It took Draco as long as it took Hermione to walk halfway up the aisle before he tore his eyes away from her features and take in what she was wearing. When he saw her dress he lost the ability to breathe.

Hermione stood opposite Blaise and turned for Ginny to walk up the aisle, stealing a quick glance at Harry as she did so. Harry's eyes were glazed behind his glasses as he watched Ginny walk up the aisle then he broke into a wide grin and Hermione sighed with relief. She knew he'd been nervous and she didn't want him getting cold feet and thankfully he had pulled through. Her eyes slid on to Draco's and she met his silver eyes and blushed as she lost herself in his eyes, but thankfully Ginny broke her eye contact and she turned to face the minister.

The ceremony was short and sweet and Hermione caught both her friends up in a huge hug as soon as it was finished.

"You guys! I'm happy for you! So, so happy!" Hermione yelled. Harry laughed and Ginny squirmed.

"If you ruin my hair Hermione, so help me, there will be a funeral today," Ginny half laughed, half growled. Hermione released her friends and looked between them proudly, then she saw Charlie walk up and turned froze.

"Congratulations Mrs Potter," The man spoke. Ginny looked up and gawped seconds before she threw herself into the man's arms.

"Ron! Sweet Merlin in a Santa Claus suit, you came!" Ginny squealed as she hugged her brother tight. Hermione looked back at Harry and he shrugged to show he had nothing to do with it. Harry's shrug caught Ron's attention and he turned to face his former friend.

"Congratulations Harry…treat my sister right," Ron said with a curt nod. Harry glared back at Ron but for the sake of Ginny, who had run off to find her mother, he held his tongue.

Draco snaked his arms around Hermione's waist and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"Hey beautiful," Draco smiled. Hermione turned around to face Draco with a worried expression on her face. Draco saw the expression then looked over her shoulder into the cold blue eyes of the only Weasley he despised.

"Malfoy?" Weasley questioned as he looked at Harry, his eyes slid across and he really saw Hermione. What he saw made his jaw drop. "Hermione?"

"Hello Weasley," Draco said trying to be polite.

"Hi Ron," Hermione murmured as she shrank back against Draco's chest. Ron's blue eyes flicked between Hermione and Draco and back again before he laughed cruelly.

"Oh this is the funniest thing I've seen in a while," Ron snickered.

"What's funny Weasley?" Draco asked.

"The fact that _you_ are with _her_," Ron sneered as he looked the pair up and down. Hermione stared at Ron in shock as she felt Draco tense.

"Listen to me Weasley. I am a guest here for Ginny and for Harry. I'm actually now a friend of the family. I will not start shit with you today, because if I ruin Ginny's day I will never forgive myself. Now I would appreciate it if you refrain from approaching me, and unless you have something nice to say, stay away from Hermione," Draco snarled as he stepped around Hermione and moved close to Ron. Ron stared coldly down into Draco's eyes but Draco waited before Ron looked away before he walked off in the direction of George and Bill who were watching Draco and Ron warily.

"So Hermione why does Draco seem to think he's got a monopoly on you?" Ron asked conversationally. Hermione sighed and pushed a stray black curl into place.

"Don't act like you care Ron." Ron rolled his eyes and moved closer, prompting Hermione to take a step back to stand closer to Harry.

"But I do care Hermione. I want to know what happened with Malfoy for him to suddenly be accepted by everyone with open arms. I mean the ice queen is here," Ron sneered.

"Don't call her that! Her name is Narcissa and she's actually a nice woman!" Hermione said hotly. Ron quirked an eyebrow and then Hermione saw two feminine hands appear around Ron's waist. Ron looked down and smiled.

"Hey Tori." The witch with her arms around Ron moved around to face Hermione and Harry and with a jolt, Hermione recognised the younger Greengrass sister Astoria.

"Tori?" Harry questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry I'm being rude. Hermione, Harry, meet Astoria Weasley," Ron said. Hermione gawped at Ron and then her eyes flickered across to Astoria. She had to look up to see the blonde bombshell as she was at least five foot nine without heels, but in her five foot courts she was taller than Harry and dwarfed Hermione. The girl's eyes were a cool ice blue as she regarded them, and when she broke into a smile, the dazzling smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Astoria Weasley?" Hermione murmured. "So Astoria Greengrass was the woman you cheated on me with?" Ron looked down at Hermione and shrugged with a cruel half-smile. Hermione turned around and walked off with her fists clenched by her side while she tried to locate Draco. Instead she walked into Pansy and Blaise who knew instantly that something was up.

"What's wrong?" Pansy asked as she caught Hermione's eye.

"Ron Weasley is here with his wife Astoria "Tori" Weasley," Hermione stammered. "Astoria is the woman he cheated on me with." Blaise stared at Hermione in shock as Pansy hugged her.

"Dragon is twice the man Weasley is and you are five times the woman Astoria is, don't let them bother you," Pansy murmured into Hermione's ear.

"Mione are you okay? You took off in a rush there," Ron's voice called. Hermione untangled herself and stepped close to Ron, anger crackling in her entire demeanour.

"You listen to me _Weasley_. If you've come here to show off your wife and gloat in my face you can turn around and walk away right now. You should be here to show your support and give your congratulations to your little sister who, by the way, just got married. Do not speak to me again Weasley and never call me Mione again…you lost that privilege a year ago when you cheated on me," Hermione said quietly.

"You have no right to tell me where to go in my own home," Ron sneered.

"No I don't. But I'm sure George and Bill and Charlie will be happy to escort you out. And just for the record. I'm with Draco Malfoy, as in, I'm his girlfriend, and I'm happy about it," Hermione smirked. Ron stared down at Hermione in disgust but she walked away, holding her head high as she walked towards the blonde guy she'd been looking for. Unfortunately, he was being approached by another blonde.

"Astoria?" Draco questioned as he recognised the cold ice blue eyes of the girl he turned down more times than he could count.

"Draco? Oh my, what a surprise!" Astoria cried before she hugged him. Draco froze as Astoria hugged him, then Hermione came up and cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, could you kindly release my boyfriend," Hermione smiled sweetly. Astoria stood back and looked down at Hermione with distaste.

"Really Draco, the mudblood?" Astoria sneered. Everything seemed to stop as everyone in the vicinity who heard Astoria's whiny voice froze to stare at her.

"Don't call her that," Draco growled. "And if you plan to leave here intact, I suggest you start making tracks, Greengrass." Astoria stared down her nose at her and she glared back.

"Tori, come on, come meet my family," Ron said as he appeared behind Astoria and led her off. Hermione clenched her fists and unclenched them as she let out a slow and steady breath.

"Draco please just keep me away from them?" Hermione pleaded as she faced him. Draco nodded and pulled Hermione against his side.

The rest of the reception passed pretty peacefully. Ron and Astoria kept out of the way of Draco and Hermione and even avoided arguing with his brothers who spent most of the night glaring at him, but Hermione was glad. Despite the fact she'd rather someone said something to Ron, she was glad everything stayed peaceful for Harry and Ginny who just looked exceptionally happy; however as soon as Harry and Ginny left the burrow to go on their honeymoon via portkey to California, Ron approached them. Hermione saw him coming and then saw George moving to intercept his brother and wait between them until the guests had all left.

When the garden was empty except for the Weasleys and Hermione and Draco, Ron stepped around George and approached Draco.

"What do you want Weasley?" Draco asked as he positioned himself in front of Hermione.

"I want to know why you are here?" Ron sneered.

"I'm a friend of the bride and groom, a friend of the family in fact," Draco shrugged.

"You don't belong here Malfoy," Ron growled as he got close to Draco's face. Hermione pushed in between the boys and pushed Ron back.

"No, you don't belong here Ron!" Hermione hissed.

"No Hermione. You don't belong here. You never did really belong in the wizard world. How does it feel to tread the line and not fit anywhere? I mean half the time your parents didn't know how to deal with you in the holidays, you said so yourself," Ron smirked nastily.

Hermione froze as she tried not to hear what Ron said, but the next second Draco had punched Ron square on the jaw and he staggered back before diving at Draco. Hermione shrieked and then she felt someone pull her back as Bill and Charlie tried to pull apart Draco and Ron fought each other. Looking up she realised the person holding her was George, and he was livid.

Hermione watched Draco tousle with Ron until Ron shoved him on the floor and pulled his wand. She read the spell in his angry mind and she felt her anger burst free in her mind and with it she pulled away from George and launched herself at Ron. As she leapt she pulled her magic from her core and allowed herself to take her Animagus form, that form knew exactly what to do and she bowled Ron over and froze with her teeth at his neck and her front paws on his wand arm.

Draco yelled in surprise as he saw Hermione push away from George, but his yell was frozen on his lips as he saw Hermione leap in the air and change, magic rippling around her as she did. He couldn't quite make sense of what he saw until he saw Ron land a few feet away with Hermione above him, but it wasn't Hermione, it couldn't be because what he was looking at was a brown wolf with an extremely bushy tail.

"Hermione?" Draco breathed as he got to his feet staring at the wolf. The wolf's ears flicked back and it sprang back off Ron, backing away until it stood in front of Draco growling. Draco looked up at the rest of the Weasley's who stood stock still, staring at the wolf.

Hermione felt her growl rock through her frame as she glared at Ron through her brown eyes. No way would he hurt her Draco. Ron sat up and stared at her open mouthed, but when he went to move further she snapped at him and he froze, staring into her eyes and really comprehending what he was seeing.

"Hermione? You're an animagus? No way, no fucking way," Ron breathed, his voice too low for the Weasley's to pick up on, but perfectly pitched for Hermione's keener hearing. She felt a rush of incredulity swim through her as her more humane mind picked up on his shock and it gave her enough humanity to pull her magic back and allow her to shift forms.

When she shifted she looked down and saw she was as she was before the change, not a speck of mud on her clothing at all.

"Just who do you think you are Ron?" Hermione asked. "You left saying you never wanted to see me or Harry again and then you come back here after a year and try and start trouble with Astoria in tow. You don't have any right to ask questions about what you see here, and you definitely have no right to demand answers to them."

"Since when did you become an animagus?" Ron asked.

"I've been learning… That was the first time I've changed. I changed because you were going to do something unspeakable, something that would have been worth Azkaban," Hermione hissed.

"I would never," Ron started but Hermione cut in quickly.

"I saw the words in your mind Ron, I saw them branded across your thoughts as you focused your wand. You were going to kill him!" Hermione heard Mrs Weasley take a breath and she grimaced.

"I-I-I…THIS IS MY FAMILY! ARE YOU SAYING I HAVE NO RIGHT TO PROTECT THEM?!" Ron roared.

"PROTECT THEM FROM WHAT RONALD!" Hermione screamed.

"FROM MALFOY!" Hermione heard Draco take a breath and she felt fury and sadness flow through her as she advanced on Ron. Ron stared at her when she stopped in front of him, and she could tell he wasn't prepared for her to smack him, so when she did he staggered back a few steps cursing.

"Draco would never hurt me or anyone else. If you want to know why then fine, here's the entire sorry story! After you left, Me Harry and Ginny went back to Hogwarts and when we finished we went to live at the Burrow. But before we went I sent a letter to the ministry asking them to locate my parents. In august gone, I received a letter telling me to go to the ministry and they told me that my parents are dead. They died in a plane crash heading over to Australia, but of course, I didn't get the news because I was out of contact with the muggle world fighting in a wizarding war. I went through a phase and Draco showed up to help me through it, in the process of helping me we fell in love with each other and the Weasley's accepted him because he has been there for me," Hermione said in a rush as she tried to stop her feelings colouring her tone. "No one kicked you out Ron, no one told you that you had to leave, in fact no one wanted you to go, we couldn't understand why you would do the things you did and then leave. So you have no right to stand here looking wounded when you see people sticking up for someone you wrongly consider an enemy," Hermione finished. Before Ron could reply, she walked over to the groupand asked Draco to take her home. Draco nodded to the group and then apparated away with Hermione, taking her back to her flat.


	24. Firm Foundations

When Ginny and Harry returned from their honeymoon two weeks later they both began to work in their respective careers. Harry, working for the aurors and Ginny accepting a year-long contract with the Holyhead Harpies. But even with their careers, they still managed to make it round to dinner at Captonia Manor once a week and it was after one of those dinner's, about two weeks before Christmas, when everyone was sat around talking when Draco cleared his throat. Narcissa looked up and everyone fell silent.

"Mother, I want to start the destruction of Malfoy Manor tomorrow," Draco said casually.

"Have you planned your rebuild yet?" Narcissa asked. Draco nodded.

"It was the first thing I did, but I need help to knock down and re-build and I wanted to know if you and Carlos will help me. Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Blaise have already agreed to help when they can, George, Bill and Charlie have said they'll help as well," Draco said calmly. Narcissa glanced across at Carlos and Draco saw him give the tiniest of nods. "What? What am I missing?" Draco asked worriedly as he looked between his parents.

"Draco, will you step outside a moment?" Narcissa asked as she stood gracefully. "Hermione, you too." Draco rose from his seat and held his hand out to Hermione with a confused expression on his face. Hermione stood up alone and then took his hand and once she did he followed after his mother who headed to the dining room.

"Draco, I personally can't help you with the destruction and rebuild of the manor because it would be too dangerous for the baby," Narcissa said quietly. Draco stared at his mother almost not comprehending what she was saying.

"The what?"

"The baby. I'm pregnant and you're going to be a brother," Narcissa smiled. Draco's face broke into a wide grin.

"How far along Mother?" Draco asked.

"Almost twenty one weeks," Narcissa said almost shyly. Draco looked at his mother and frowned as he did the calculations in his head.

"She was pregnant before she married Dray," Hermione murmured timidly. She knew Draco's temper well and she was nervous about how he would react.

"Wait you knew? You knew my mother was pregnant before I did and you didn't think to tell me?" Draco asked his voice cold.

"I…" Hermione started but Narcissa cut her off.

"I asked her to allow me to tell you myself. Hermione guessed at my pregnancy before I married and I asked her to keep it quiet until I told you because I didn't want you to have any reason to be against Carlos. I raised you to marry first and have children later, but I did the exact thing I told you not to do. I was ashamed of myself and I didn't want you to see me in a bad light," Narcissa said in a rush. Draco stared at Narcissa, his mouth slightly open in shock when he made sense of her quick speech.

"Mother… Mother I could never see you in a bad light. I just wish you would have told me you were pregnant. I had no reason to dislike Carlos and giving me a little brother or sister isn't a reason to dislike him regardless of when that happen and he made an honest woman of you," Draco sighed.

Hermione looked between Draco and Narcissa and then laid her hand on Draco's arm to get his attention.

"I'm going to head back inside, see you in a bit?" Hermione asked softly. Draco nodded at her and flashed her a smile before Hermione headed back to the parlour. As soon as she sat down Carlos moved over to her.

"Is everything alright out there?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, they're just smoothing things over," Hermione said.

It took a further ten minutes after Hermione had entered the parlour for Draco and Narcissa to emerge from the dining room but when they did, they both seemed happy and Narcissa announced her pregnancy to everyone who didn't know. There was a predictable flurry of congratulations passed on to Narcissa but then everything quieted down again and Draco explained his plans for the destruction of Malfoy Manor.

"There's three wings to the Manor and then there is the central block. I want to have two people on each wing and three on the central block and once the upper surface of the Manor is destroyed, I want to destroy the dungeons, they're under the central block and to the best of my knowledge, destroying them is likely to leave a three storey crater in the earth-"

"Four storey son," Narcissa piped up quietly. Draco looked across at Narcissa with a raised eyebrow.

"There's a fourth level?"

"Your father was a cruel and dark man," Narcissa said quietly with such finality that Draco didn't want to ask what the fourth level was for.

"Okay so there's going to be a four storey crater in the earth tomorrow. So are you all going to be able to get to the Manor gates for say, twelve tomorrow?" Draco asked the room. He looked around and was met with nods from everyone including Pansy and his mother.

"You two are going to be there?" Hermione interjected. Pansy and Narcissa nodded.

"Of course! I'm pregnant, not handicapped!" Pansy said waspishly. Hermione held her hands up in defeat with a grin.

"Okay, okay."

Draco and Hermione left Captonia Manor with Ginny and Harry and apparated back to Hermione's flat where they sprawled in her living area with the drink of their choice. Harry and Draco were glued to the screen watching a football game while Ginny was eating ice-cream and Hermione had her hot chocolate and was sat on the floor by her fireplace with a book.

"Seriously Mione. What are you going to do for a career?" Ginny asked. Hermione looked up at her friend's serious face and shrugged.

"I don't know," Hermione sighed.

"You need to find something, I mean, you did say you only wanted this flat to be a temporary thing," Ginny frowned.

"Well it is a temporary thing, and I spend half my time at Draco's, but I was thinking of contacting Flourish and Blotts and asking if I could work part time there. I need something to do with my time until I figure out what I want to do," Hermione sighed as she lay back in front of her fire.

"What's Draco doing with himself anyway?" Ginny asked as she spooned ice-cream into her mouth.

"He's just focusing on getting the manor rebuilt before he focuses on anything else. I think he wants to sell his flat and move back into the Manor when it's done. He wants to get it just right… He's such a perfectionist," Hermione said fondly as Draco began to cheering while Harry groaned. "Match over?" Hermione asked.

"Yup, and my team won!" Draco smirked proudly.

"The way you go on, anyone would think you were second years and playing quidditch again," Ginny snickered.

"Shush Potterette!" Draco mock glared. Ginny glared back and mimed the words 'Ferret-Boy'. Hermione giggled behind her hand at their antics then stood up with a stretch.

"Right you guys, I wanna sleep, it's late, get out my flat… all except for you," Hermione said, smirking as she pointed at Draco. Ginny winked at Hermione and Harry shook his head.

"See you tomorrow Mione, Draco…Enjoy your evening," Harry said with a barely concealed snicker. Draco aimed a mock smack to the back of his head, a smack that Harry ducked on his way out the door with Ginny.

Draco turned to Hermione with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Is there a reason why you told me I couldn't leave?" Draco asked as he sat sideways on the arm of the chair. Hermione simply looked at him before she walked towards him and pushed him so he was lying on the couch, then she sat on his lap and leant forwards to give him a soft kiss. Draco knotted the fingers of his right hand in the hair at the base of her neck while his left hand rested at her waist, clutching her slightly as he bit her lower lip.

"Do you need me to spell it out for you?" Hermione whispered against his lips. Draco manoeuvred Hermione so he could stand up and not drop her then moved towards her bedroom without taking his lips from hers.

******Time Gap******

The following morning Draco apparated back to his flat and allowed Hermione to get ready in peace and he apparated back to the manor wearing jeans and a tee-shirt that he didn't mind getting dirty. Walking through the empty halls of the manor he found that he was glad he was getting rid of it. Everything he wanted to keep or would put in the new Malfoy Manor simply because of its value in his family's name, was sitting in a storage room in a room he created on his flat. As the time neared twelve, he left the gardens after placing a protective spell on them to avoid them being ruined then he headed around the building to the front gate where people had started to apparate. Everyone seemed to be dressed in much the same way as he was, apart from his mother, she was still dressed in robes, although robes that weren't as expensive as some of her others.

"Right so erm, I guess I'd better sort you," Draco murmured once everyone had arrived. But he needn't have bothered because everyone sorted themselves into their own groups. Blaise ended up with George, Ginny natural went with Harry, Bill went with Charlie and Hermione grouped together with Draco and Carlos.

Once in their group Draco sent everyone around to their wings and waited to see green sparks from each person before he sent his own red sparks into the air to signal the start of the destruction. There was a boom that shook the ground and he quickly joined in the destruction, ignoring the loud noises that now vibrated across the grounds.

By 2pm the surface manor was reduced to a pile of dust that was flat enough on the ground that everyone could see each other, or at least recognise the dust covered figures of their friends. Draco beckoned his friends closer to him to discuss how they were going to tackle the dungeons and in the end Narcissa came up with the obvious idea of clearing the dust to the side to use it to fill the hole then destroying the dungeons methodically and use broomsticks to emerge out of the hole. So as night really fell at 9pm it was a tired group of people who flew out of the crater in the earth on various broomsticks.

As soon as she was a metre from grass Hermione jumped agilely off her broom and rolled onto her back on the grass with a tired sigh and all around her she could hear her friends doing pretty much the same thing, then she felt Draco's hand catch hers.

"Hey," Draco murmured.

"Hey you," Hermione whispered sleepily. She felt Draco shift next to her but she left her eyes closed. "Thank everyone and say goodbye for me then take me back to yours. I just want to sleep tonight," Hermione said softly. She heard Draco chuckle next to her then she felt his hand leave hers and heard him move away. A few moments later she heard a series of apparition cracks and then felt Draco pick her up and apparate with her.

When she opened her eyes in Draco's flat, she did so with a shocked gasp.

"You could at least warn me before you apparate next time!" Hermione cried as she glared into his amused silver eyes.

"Sorry," Draco snickered as he set her down. Hermione sighed haughtily then marched into his room slamming the door in mock anger. Draco laughed out loud then followed after her after a few minutes and finding Hermione tucked up in his bed fast asleep. "Damn," Draco murmured with a chuckle before he stripped himself, cast a quick cleaning spell and slid into bed and pulled Hermione into his arms with a sigh.

******Time Gap******

Hermione woke the following morning in Draco's bed all on her own. Confused she climbed out of bed and went to the kitchen, noting how her hair was all over the place but on the kitchen next to her breakfast was a note and a white rose. Smiling to herself and tucking her hair behind her ear she opened Draco's note.

_Mi,_

_I woke up at a stupid hour and couldn't go back to sleep. I'm too excited! So when you wake up, I'm at Malfoy Mansion. By the time you wake up, I'm sure we'll have the skeleton of the building already._

_Hurry to me Love,_

_D. _

Hermione couldn't help the swell of love in her chest as she picked up the flower, then she raced back across Draco's flat to get a shower and an hour later she apparated in front of white gates. Looking through the white gates she saw a long pathway with green grass either side of it and a light grey three storey building with tall wide windows and a white front door at the end of the pathway. Holding out her wand she touched the gate with the tip and found that the gate swung open. She quickly strode down the pathway and an elf appeared at her side and bowed low.

"Miss Hermione, Draco has sent me to come and take you to him. I is Sera," The little elf said in her squeaky voice. Hermione looked down at the little elf slightly shocked. The female elf had large blue eyes and was dressed in a little white and black dress and on the collar there was a very small DM embroidered in the corner. Apparently losing patience she took Hermione's hand and led her inside.

As soon as she was in Hermione gasped out loud and raised both hands to her mouth.

"Sweet Merlin, it's beautiful," Hermione whispered as she took in the light grey and white entrance hall and the dark oak wooden doors set in the walls. The place seemed so open, but Hermione was barely allowed any time to really admire it because Sera led her through the pale wood and white tiled kitchen into the back garden where she saw Draco standing on the porch looking across the gardens he had kept the same. She didn't speak she waited for him to turn around.

"Hey you," Draco grinned.

"Hey to you too," Hermione smiled back. Draco walked over to her and hugged her tightly before he pulled back. When he did Hermione noticed very faint dark shadows under his eyes. "You look tired. What time did you wake up and start work?"

"Umm, I might have gotten three hours sleep then apparated back here," Draco murmured shyly.

"You need to get some sleep and get a potion in you to replenish whatever magic you've lost to do this. Your loss of magic is starting to show," Hermione said softly.

"Okay. I'll get some sleep as soon as you let me show you around. I haven't furnished it yet but I will," Draco grinned. Hermione rolled her eyes and took Draco's hand allowing him to lead her back to the front of the manor.

"Right, this is the central block. There's going to be a washroom, a kitchen and a parlour on the right and on the left there'll be a pantry and a dining room, I might add a cloakroom too," Draco said smoothly as he indicated the doors to each one as he pointed it out to Hermione then he led her upstairs to continue the tour.

By the time Draco and Hermione headed to the gates, it was almost evening and Hermione had learnt that the manor had 11 en-suite bedrooms, six in the left wing which was to be dedicated to any children that Draco had and the and five in the right wing, for any adults who would live there. In the children's wing on the ground floor there was a nursery which doubled as a playroom and there was a children's library and study. While in the adult's wing there was a private library for Draco and his wife, whoever she may be, and two private studies. Draco had dedicated the second floor of the central block to Malfoy family portraits and the family heirlooms he had decided to save and the top floor of the central block was given to elves that wished to work for the house.

Overall, Hermione was impressed with all the work Draco had done and she couldn't see a trace of the old manor in the homey structure. Its white and grey colour schemes and light wood floors coupled with the large windows that let in light, made it impossible for Hermione to think of the fact that she had once been tortured on the same plot of land.

********larger time gap****************

The 20th of December found Hermione reading at her desk as Draco crept up behind her and covered her eyes.

"Hey Mi," Draco murmured. Hermione set down her quill and leant back with a soft smile.

"Why are you stopping me from reading?" Hermione asked.

"Because I have a really good idea and I hope you think it's a good one too," Draco said as he uncovered Hermione's eyes and sat on the edge of her desk. Hermione raised her eyebrow curiously as she faced him then she stood up and stood in front of him allowing Draco to place his hands on her waist and pull her closer.

"Okay… I'm listening," Hermione said quietly, her natural curiosity thick in her voice.

"Okay. So the manor feels really empty just me there and well will you please move in with me? There's enough space in the Manor for you to have your own space if you want it, and I even know which room would be perfect for you and I promise I won't intrude on your personal space. Just please?" Draco asked in a rush. Hermione stared at him with her facial features carefully composed into a disapproving mask while Draco's eyes searched her face fearfully waiting for the outburst.

Draco could feel the waves of disapproval coming off his girlfriend and he braced himself for her rejection, closing his eyes as if not being able to see her would make his disappointment less. But as soon as he closed his eyes he felt Hermione's lips on his as her fingers knotted in his hair. Draco kissed her back just as passionately as she kissed him, his arms wrapping around her and holding him to her tightly. When Hermione pulled away to breathe she rested her forehead against his and he sighed.

"So is this a yes?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"Of course it is, now wipe the smirk off your face Malfoy. You're helping me move," Hermione whispered before she pulled away.

******Time Gap******

It took two days for Hermione to be allowed to leave her flat and on the 22nd she finally moved in with Draco at Malfoy Manor and she spent the next three days getting used to the place, but it was Christmas Eve when Hermione realised something she should have seen coming.

They were sat at the dining room table Draco had made smaller to suit just two of them and they were quietly discussing the Christmas presents and the party Draco had planned for tomorrow.

"What did you get Ginny and Harry?" Draco asked as he offered Hermione the piece of lamb on his fork. Hermione took the piece and ate it noting that Draco's food was slightly sweeter than her own as she preferred more pepper. When her mouth was empty she offered Draco a piece of her own meat as she thought.

"I got Ginny a new set of Dragon Leather flying gloves and Harry a snitch. I know he's missed trying to catch that thing and hasn't got an actual snitch so yeah. What about you?" Hermione said with a shrug.

"Have you ever heard of those two way mirrors?" Draco asked after he swallowed.

"Yes, Harry's dad and Sirius used to have one each," Hermione nodded.

"Well I got them a set of two way mirrors, that way when Harry's away on mission, he can still contact Ginny and vice versa when Ginny's playing away games." Hermione stared at Draco and felt warmth grow in her chest.

"That's really thoughtful Dray," Hermione said with a smile. Draco grinned back at her, his silver eyes dancing in the light of the fire that was the main source of light to the room in the evening. Hermione was hit by the sudden wish to one day see those eyes in the faces of her children and she blushed heavily and dropped her eyes.

"What?" Draco questioned softly as he saw her embarrassed reaction.

"Just thinking about the future," Hermione said softly as she raised her head and speared a small potato on her fork.

"What about the future?"

"I just... Do you ever… Do you ever wish that you could see certain features of someone in your kids when your older and married?" Hermione asked as she blushed furiously. Draco was silent and Hermione met his eyes and found she couldn't look away.

"Yes. Quite often," Draco replied simply, his eyes and voice serious but soft and loving.

The rest of the evening passed fairly calmly as if they hadn't experienced a magnetic moment over dinner, but instead of Draco kissing Hermione goodnight and making his way down the hall to his room as he had done every night, Hermione pulled Draco into her room with her and kissed him furiously.

Draco could feel how much she wanted him in the way she kissed him but he gently stopped the kiss and kissed her softly instead.

"I love you," Draco murmured. Hermione's chocolate brown eyes positively sparkled as she stared at him.

"I love you too," Hermione murmured as she wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. With a soft smile Draco kicked the door shut and pushed Hermione further into the room.

******Time Gap******

Christmas morning Hermione and Draco were woken by Shuen and Sera announcing that Mr and Mrs Potter were at the door. Draco groaned and hid his face in Hermione's hair.

"They're your friends. You go deal with them," Draco whispered. Hermione huffed tiredly but she pulled herself away from Draco and pulled on pyjamas and a dressing gown, slid on her slippers and headed down stairs with Sera and Shuen behind her. As she was walking Meywa appeared and she very nearly jumped.

"Miss Hermione breakfast is ready if you and Draco would like to eat," Meywa said. Hermione nodded.

"Thank you Meywa," She answered as she pushed open the parlour door.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Ginny yelled making Hermione jump a mile in the air. When she recovered herself she glared at her red haired friend.

"Absolutely no need," Hermione grumbled as she curled up in her favourite armchair in the parlour and looked around. The elves had outdone themselves when it came to decorating the parlour. In one corner of the room was a 7ft real Christmas tree that brushed the ceiling and it was decorated in all manner of magical baubles, snowflakes, angels, skiing Santas, Christmas hats. Anything Christmassy that sparkled was loaded onto the tree and Hermione couldn't help but shake her head at the paraphernalia Draco had instructed his elves to find. Draco had never really had a proper hectic Christmas like Hermione had always experienced with the Weasley's, so this year he was having a Christmas get together with all the Christmas experience he could cram into one home.

"There is every need Hermione, it's Christmas!" Ginny said indignantly. Harry nodded next to her and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Honestly you two act like children. Have you even eaten?" Hermione asked. From the sheepish glances she got from the couple in front of her she assumed that they hadn't and she called Lura softly.

"Miss Hermione called?" Lura answered as she appeared next to Hermione.

"Can you show Harry and Ginny to the kitchen where they can find breakfast please? I'm going to get dressed and wake up Draco," Hermione asked. Lura nodded, her ear's flapping while she beamed.

"Of course Miss Hermione," Lura said then she took Ginny's and Harry's hands and led them out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen while Hermione ran back up the stairs.

When she arrived in her bedroom she saw that Draco wasn't there and quickly got herself washed and dressed before leaving her room and running into Draco who was dressed in dark black jeans and a grey woollen jumper, identical to herself.

"Snap," Draco said when he noticed Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes then took his hand and walked with him to meet Ginny and Harry in the kitchen.

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS DRACO!" Ginny yelled. Draco jumped and Hermione snickered.

"Sweet Merlin Potter, there was no need!" Draco hissed as he narrowed his eyes at the giggling red head.

"Your reaction means there was every need," Ginny snickered.

As the clock struck 1 people started arriving at the door for Dinner and Hermione found herself having to play the gracious host role as well as she could as Pansy and Blaise, Neville and Luna, Narcissa and Carlos, Andromeda and +9Teddy and the entire Weasley clan ,bar Ron and Astoria, turned up at the door carrying presents. Meywa and Jodem were instructed to place all presents under the tree while Lura would serve drinks in the parlour. Sera and Shuen were cooking and every now and then Hermione would find herself in the kitchen to ask if they needed help and get shooed out. At 3 when dinner was finally served, Draco had to stretch the table and add more chairs to allow room for everyone to pile around the table. Hermione stared in awe as the elves made the food from the kitchen appear on the plates because what two tiny elves had produced was as good as everything the Hogwarts Elves had ever made. Then the thought struck her and she raised an eyebrow at Draco. Draco looked back at her with a knowing smile then he leant in close to whisper in her ear.

"They're getting an extra half a day's wages because that's all they'd let me give them in terms of bonuses for this week. They say that they have no use for money it is an honour to serve but I knew you wouldn't have it any other way. Plus I've got them all Christmas presents," Draco murmured. Hermione looked at him incredulously.

"What did you get them?" She asked.

"Find out after dinner… It's practical, they can't complain," Draco said softly before he stood up from where he was and cleared his throat.

A silence fell over the room and everyone stopped to look at Draco in the centre of the table and he swallowed.

"Honestly, this is a bit more than just Christmas for me. It's not only my first Christmas in the new, happier, homier Malfoy Manor, but it's the first Christmas that really feels like a Happy Christmas, something I can celebrate openly and not something I have to hide with Mother," Draco winked at his mom and she smiled at his reference to their many stolen Christmas moments. "But anyways, I just want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and…"

"Will you shut up and carve the bloody turkey Malfoy. I'm actually starving!" Blaise cut in. George whooped in agreement and Draco rolled his eyes and picked up his wand and with a quick wave dinner started to be served to cheers from everyone.

Hermione snickered as Draco sat down with a huff but when he turned grey eyes on her she smiled and kissed him softly.

"Stop being a sour puss Draco, it's Christmas!" Hermione whispered excitedly. Draco's eyes warmed to silver and he moved to kiss her back but Harry cleared his throat opposite them and Luna gave them a knowing smile.

"Not at the table guys! There's food being served and there's a kid at the table!" Harry said pointing to Teddy. Hermione blushed and looked down with a grin before picking up her plate and beginning to fill her plate with food.

When everyone was full Draco lead everyone into the Parlour and conjured more comfy chairs before he sat cross legged in front of the tree and began to hand out gifts. The final gifts that he removed were gifts that he kept by himself. He had his own pile of gifts but these ones were kept separate and Hermione watched him curiously. She saw his lips murmur the names of his elves and they all appeared at once but only Hermione had noticed. Everyone was engrossed in removing the paper from their presents. Draco spoke softly to his elves before he handed boxes to Shuen and Jodem who wore uniforms of black trousers and a white shirt with the DM on the collar, and then handed boxes to Sera, Meywa and Lura who all wore the black and white dress. They took their boxes, bowed to Draco and then disappeared, probably to their quarters on the top floor.

When Draco turned his attention to his pile of presents Hermione began to open her presents, and surprise, surprise, most of her presents were books. Neville had brought her the latest book on Herbology and Luna had brought her a notebook and an ice blue Quick Quotes Quill, knowing she had talent in journalism. Pansy and Ginny had given her a salon voucher each with notes saying that they were going to get her hair done professionally. Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends but they simply stuck their tongues out at her, there was no getting out of it. Blaise had brought Hermione a book on transfiguration that she had surprisingly, not read yet. Harry bought Hermione a glass wand case, knowing she'd wanted one for a while but not got one while Narcissa and Carlos got Hermione a new baby blue cloak and matching gloves. Yet the gift that stole Hermione's breath was a delicate silver necklace with a small diamond pendent. She didn't want to know how much it cost for fear of being scared by it, but merlin it was beautiful.

Draco watched Hermione's reaction to the necklace, nervously. Was she going to reject it or was she going to accept it. A second later she slowly opened the clasp and placed the necklace around her neck, smiling softly as she settled the pendent beneath her jumper. She looked up then and caught Draco's eyes, miming thanks before she moved onto her next present.

The next present Draco took up was lumpy and wrapped in brown paper and he frowned, confused. Carefully he pulled the paper off and shook out what was a very lumpy, but very warm looking woollen jumper.

"MALFOY GOT A WEASLEY JUMPER!" George crowed. Draco frowned at George then turned the jumper around to admire it. It was grey in colour and in the very corner was a stitched black D.M. so he whipped off his own jumper and pulled the new one on and gave Mrs Weasley a tight hug.

"Thank you for allowing me into your family Molly," Draco murmured, remembering at the last second that she wished to be called Molly.

"It's not a problem Draco," Mrs Weasley said with a smile as she patted him on the back.

Finally Draco was left with only one present to give and he vanished all the paper in the room and made to stand up only to have Ginny grab his arm.

"Draco, you forgot one present," Ginny said as she picked it up and handed it to him. Draco raised an eyebrow at her and swiftly removed the paper with his back to Hermione. Ginny's eyes went wide and she covered her mouth.

"What did you forget Dray?" Hermione asked as she walked up to look over his shoulder.

"This," Draco said simply. Hermione frowned at him as she looked between him and the present, then he swiftly knelt down on one knee holding the box which he had opened. Hermione gasped into the suddenly silent room.

"I know we've only really known each other like this for four months and for some of that you've been hurt, but I love you Hermione. You asked me last night if I ever wished to have a certain someone's features in the faces of my children and I said all the time. That certain someone is you Hermione… I want to see your features in the face of a little girl of mine, I want to see your crazy brown hair on a son of mine eventually…if you'll have me... I'm not saying we have to marry now, marry this year or marry within the next decade. Just…will you marry me?" Draco asked. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands as if she forgot how to close it as she stared at the silver ring with an identical diamond in it to the one she wore around her neck. The only question in her mind was. Am I ready?


	25. Heartfelt

_ "This," Draco said simply. Hermione frowned at him as she looked between him and the present, then he swiftly knelt down on one knee holding the box which he had opened. Hermione gasped into the suddenly silent room._

_ "I know we've only really known each other like this for four months but I love you Hermione. You asked me last night if I ever wish to have a certain someone's features in the faces of my children and I said all the time. That certain someone is you Hermione… I want to see your features in the face of a little girl of mine, I want to see your crazy brown hair on a son of mine eventually…if you'll have me... I'm not saying we have to marry now, marry this year or marry within the next decade. Just…will you marry me?" Draco asked. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands as if she forgot how to close it as she stared at the silver ring with an identical diamond in it to the one she wore around her neck only it was surrounded by a cluster of ruby's and emeralds. The only question in her mind was. Am I ready?_

A loud voice woke up inside her head that began to admonish her. Of course she was ready. The man in front of her was the only man she could see herself with for the foreseeable future because he understood her like no man could. He knew her the way she knew him. With conviction she had never felt before Hermione nodded her head furiously as a wide smile broke out on her face. Draco beamed at her, his silver eyes shining like lava as he slipped the ring onto her ring finger before he stood up and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, oblivious to the cheers, catcalls and polite clapping of their friends and family.

When he let her go, Pansy and Ginny pounced on Hermione's left hand to stare at the diamond on it. Both girls sighed and assured Hermione how pretty it was but Hermione was in a semi-daze as she stared at her ring in shock. Draco Malfoy had proposed to her and she would become Hermione Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy would be turning in his grave. At the thought of Lucius and his death Hermione's thoughts instantly jumped to her parents and how her father would never walk her down the aisle. With tight control she smiled at Pansy and Ginny and withdrew her hand.

"I'm just going to the toilet, I'll be back in a minute," Hermione said quickly with a smile then she turned around and left the room and took the path that would lead her to the library, but she knew Draco saw her face and she knew that he knew what was wrong and wouldn't try to follow her. It was time she came to grips with things.

As soon as the door closed she broke into a run as her heart thudded into her throat, she knew exactly where Draco's short cuts were so running into the kitchen and taking a left and hurtling down a set of stairs she emerged in the library that would be her safe haven.

"Sera," Hermione whispered into the semi darkness. The little elf appeared at Hermione's side almost instantly and she lead Hermione to a chair, turned up the lights and clicked her fingers to call Meewa.

"Meewa must get Miss Hermione a hot chocolate," Sera said then she turned back to Hermione.

"Miss Hermione summoned Sera?"

"I need you to find me a pen and paper, a picture of my mother and father and an envelope," Hermione said quickly. Sera nodded and disappeared while Meewa appeared at Hermione's other side.

"Meewa has Miss Hermione's hot chocolate, anything else Miss Hermione needs just call," Meewa said then with a bow she disappeared. Hermione moved over to the desk and sat down slowly as she stared at the mahogany top. She was going to write her parents a letter each, seal them in an envelope and stop crying over them. This was going to be her goodbye to her parents and after that she would only look forwards.

Sera reappeared at Hermione's side with the things she had asked for in her hands and Hermione took them gratefully with a smile. Sera nodded and went to walk out of the room but Hermione noticed something and frowned.

"Sera, Draco gave you all a present, did he give you all shoes?" Hermione asked. Sera nodded with a smile.

"Mr Draco has been most kind to us, we are free elves who receive a salary, but he has not dishonoured us by removing us from the Manor so we are most pleased," Sera said. Hermione nodded and Sera disappeared. Hermione then turned her attention to her letters and laid the photo of her parents in front of her and put quill to paper.

_Mom, Dad,_

_Firstly I'm sorry. That's the only thing I can say, because this is my fault. If I hadn't been magical, if I hadn't got myself mixed up in things I should have stayed well out of, maybe you would still be here with me, but then I know that you wouldn't have been pleased. You two always told me to follow my heart and to do what I felt was right. So I tried to do that, I modified your memories and sent you to Australia because I thought that at least then you wouldn't be killed for being muggles and being my parents. I helped Harry take down Voldemort and I hope you are happy and proud of me for being able to do that, despite the consequence being that I managed to get you killed._

Hermione sat back and stared at her words on the page, she wanted to scribble them all out and start again but she had to get it all down, not change a single word, she had to get the words out.

_I searched for you for a year after the war ended and I only found out that you died in a plane crash august gone. That news broke me. You raised a strong woman, but there's only so much you can take before everything becomes too much. Yet me breaking down may prove to be one of the best things to happen to me. I met Draco Malfoy again during the week after I found out and he's been here for me, helping me and we fell in love. I know that now mom you'd be all starry eyed and dad you'd give me that worried frown and then ask me if this is the Draco Malfoy that tormented me through school… Well yes he is, but he's changed, he's different, he's nicer, less arrogant, he cares about me. Draco proposed to me today and I've said yes, I couldn't say anything else I love him too, more than I ever loved Ron, who walked out on Harry and me at the end of the war. I guess I just needed to get this off my chest and lock your memory away inside me and stop crying. This letter is to help me move forwards, to stop mourning and start being able to look back on your lives with a smile and laugh at the good times._

Once again Hermione paused this time to wipe away a tear that had leaked down her face before she put her quill back to the parchment.

_I will never ever forget you, I promise you that I will live my life in a way that would make the both of you proud and then one day when I'm old and grey and I have children, grandchildren and maybe even great grandchildren I will see you again on the other side and hopefully you'll be proud of me._

_Love always and forever_

_Hermione_

Hermione placed down her quill and re read the letter again before she folded it in half and slipped it inside the envelope addressing it to "Mom and Dad" then she placed inside the desk draw till the following morning and wiped her tears away with a sigh.

"Come on Hermione… Pull it together," Hermione murmured then she stood up and walked the long way back to the party.

When she walked through the door she saw Draco and grinned at him and he hugged her tightly.

"Is everything okay?" Draco asked.

"It will be tomorrow," Hermione murmured softly with a sigh. Draco nodded softly and then pulled back and kissed her softly.

"I love you Mi," Draco whispered.

"I love you too," Hermione smiled back as she met his molten silver eyes.

******Time Gap******

The following morning Hermione woke up almost at the crack of dawn with her head on Draco's chest, wandlessly she sent him into a deeper sleep and slipped out of the bed and pulled on a cloak and slippers before quietly moving down the stairs past the bedrooms which contained their friends to the library where she collected her letter and made her way up the secret passageway through the kitchen out to the back garden. Slowly she turned in a circle once out there looking for the best spot to do what she wanted to do before she summoned a broom from the cupboard and pushed off softly to glide over the grounds.

It felt good to feel the wind through her hair once more, she hadn't been on a broom in such a long time, she hadn't realised how much she missed the feel of flying, then her attention was caught by two trees at the back of the garden and urging the broom faster before coming to a halt she landed in the shade of two trees that bent towards each other and provided a shelter over the ground in front of them. Hermione took her wand out of her pocket and created a small hole in the ground and placed her letter in the ditch then covered it back over and then constructed a grave stone out of the rocks in the ground and carved her parents' names into its surface. Then she stood for a second staring at her parents' gravestone and sighed before she turned her back and flew back to the mansion.

When she arrived back in the kitchen she found Harry sat down with a cup of coffee and a newspaper and she jumped.

"Why are you awake so early?" Hermione asked in shock.

"I heard someone moving and I came downstairs and saw you fly off, I waited down here to make sure you were okay… You are okay aren't you?" Harry asked as Hermione joined him and Meewa appeared with another cup of coffee for Hermione.

Hermione accepted it gratefully then stared into its depths.

"I wrote my parents a letter and buried it at the back of the grounds and made them a gravestone. I felt like I needed to say goodbye, explain some things and that was the only way I could," Hermione murmured then she sighed and looked up.

"How do you feel now?"

"Relieved, drained, happier…" Hermione answered.

"Good, because you're going to be launched into full scale wedding planning if I know Ginny, Pansy, Molly and Narcissa," Harry snickered. Hermione groaned and let her head hit the table causing Harry to laugh out loud. Hermione then looked up at Harry with a serious expression on her face.

"Harry… Will you walk me down the aisle? You're like a brother to me and I don't feel right asking Mr Weasley to walk me down the aisle," Hermione asked. Harry looked up in shock.

"Me…. I… of course," Harry spluttered. Hermione jumped off her chair and hugged Harry tightly.

"Thank you Harry," Hermione whispered and Harry patted her back softly.

"No problem."

Hermione and Harry lapsed into silence again only breaking it to thank Lura when she brought them breakfast which they ate in companionable silence.

A few hours later most people had woken up and located the kitchen and unfortunately for Hermione, Narcissa and Molly came down at the same time and sat down either side of her. Hermione knew what was coming before they even opened their mouths but that didn't stop her having to supress a sigh.

"So Hermione dear, when do you want to get married?" Molly asked. Hermione had barely opened her mouth before Narcissa jumped in.

"It would be ideal to have your wedding around April time this year as that gives us more than enough time to arrange it, send out wedding invitations and then choose which media company can cover the wedding as because you are getting married to a Malfoy there needs to be some coverage of it," Narcissa said. Hermione waited a beat to see if both women were ready to listen to her but then Molly started talking.

"A spring wedding would be lovely, you could have it outside and the spring colours will look so lovely with you Mione and compliment Draco too," Molly said. Narcissa nodded in agreement.

"Wait," Hermione cut in quickly and both women looked at her. "I've literally just got engaged to Draco. Now I respect your opinions and respect you both but when and where we get married is possibly the only thing I can get Draco's input on and I will get it," Hermione said kindly but firmly.

"You will get what?" Draco asked as he walked through the door.

"Your opinion on when and where we should get married," Hermione said. Draco looked between the frown on Hermione's face and his mother's slightly too innocent expression and shook his head with a sigh.

"Mother, please allow Hermione to make the decisions she wants to I'm sure she would be willing to listen to your ideas as long as she gets the final say," Draco said softly as he sat opposite Hermione and opened the newspaper Shuen brought to him.

Neither Hermione nor Narcissa said anything until Draco made it almost all the way through the paper and then hissed in annoyance.

"Mother?" Draco asked angrily. "Why did you write about our wedding to the daily prophet?" Narcissa looked up innocently and Hermione sighed.

"Draco you know as well as I do that you need to allow the world plenty of time to…"

"Cissa, you're not interfering are you?" Carlos asked as he walked through the door.

"Yes she is," Draco groaned as he stood up to leave the room.

"Draco I only want what's best for you," Narcissa said as she stood up also. Draco stopped and stared at his mother for a few seconds then sighed.

"I know," Draco sighed then he left the room.

Hermione stood up as soon as he left the room.

"I'll talk to him," Hermione said softly as she laid a hand on Narcissa's arm. Narcissa smiled and then turned to Carlos as Hermione left the room to find Draco.

Eventually Hermione found him in his bedroom, having checked everywhere else first.

"Dray?" Hermione murmured. Draco opened his arms up to Hermione and she smiled as she joined him on the bed and snuggled into his embrace.

"Sorry if my mom gets a bit too overbearing. I'll try and rein her in," Draco sighed into Hermione's curly hair.

"It's fine. I know she only wants what's best for you and at the same time, what's best for your status," Hermione answered.

"I don't care about my status. I just don't want you rushed into anything," Draco growled.

"We're engaged after being back in each other's lives for only 4 months. It's not exactly been a slow relationship," Hermione said softly.

When Draco didn't reply Hermione sat up and sat opposite him and took his hands in her lap.

"I love you Draco… If I didn't want to marry you I would have said no. One little article about my marriage to you is not going to harm how I feel about you, and maybe it's a good thing for the world to know early, at least then they have time to get used to the fact that we will be married before it actually happens. Imagine if the first time people heard about our marriage was on the wedding day, we'd have owls flying in all over the country to either congratulate us or condemn us on our special day. At least now we can get all the hate mail, all the overbearing congratulations and all the "please can we come" letters out of the way before the actual day," Hermione said her smile gradually getting wider as she saw Draco cheering up. Yet even though Hermione could see he was happy, he remained silent and in thought for a few seconds until he eventually looked up.

"Okay so when do you want to get married?" Draco asked.

"Well your mother mentioned something about a spring wedding, maybe around April, and to be honest that does sound appealing. Normally I would have said let's wait for a year, but I don't need to wait with you Dray, I'm sure about you that and any qualms I would have once had because of my muggle upbringing, have kinda been melted away," Hermione said softly.

Draco stared into Hermione's brown eyes, searching for any sign that she was saying the words just to please him, but when he found none he closed the gap between them, took Hermione's face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

"You sure?" Draco asked between kisses.

"Yes," Hermione hissed as her hands knotted in his hair as she melted against him.

A while later Hermione and Draco walked into the parlour hand in hand and sat opposite Narcissa who was straight backed and straight faced, a pureblood mask to hide her emotions.

"Mother, I apologise for how I acted," Draco said softly.

"Draco I apologise for not consulting you. Carlos has reminded me that you are a grown man, who can make his own decisions and you are the first of the Malfoy line to have the will to turn his back on all that his family has done for the sake of a loved one. He reminded me that although I am your mother, you do not need me to make your decisions and decide what's best for you," Narcissa said formally. Her formal tone was the tone that hid any distress, but Draco saw through it and stood up motioning for his mother to follow him.

Narcissa left the room and Draco followed after her, and the two walked through to the gardens and began to walk their familiar route. After a few moments of silence Narcissa sighed.

"Son, I… I don't know what I am to do now you are all grown up," Narcissa spoke slowly. Draco waited, knowing she was not finished. "You are not the boy you once were, you're not the boy who came running to me to ask me to tie your shoelaces when your father wasn't around, you're not the boy who used to walk this same path with me when your father had been too harsh and you came to me to calm you down. You don't… You don't need me anymore," Narcissa whispered.

At that Draco turned around and took Narcissa's hands, squeezing them softly to make her look up from the ground and meet his eyes.

"Mother, regardless of the fact that I am no longer the boy who needed his mother's comfort after dealing with his father, I will _always_ need you. You are my mother, you love me like no other can. I might not need you to hold my hand and tie my shoelaces, but I do need you for your advice and your guidance when I hit a brick wall in my life, and I need you for your love," Draco murmured softly, holding his mother's watery gaze before he smiled. "You have another baby on the way, a baby to love and nurture and comfort the way you want to, not the way Malfoy tradition and society dictates. Carlos is going to be a loving father who will celebrate Christmas and birthdays and achievements regardless of whether it's a major one or a minor one. And I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier on.

I know it's hard for you to have to stand on the side-lines but please mother, I want you to allow Hermione to make the decisions on this wedding. The world in which she was born would frown upon us getting married now. The muggle world would want us to wait at least a year before getting married, so although she's decided to get married in April, the earliness of this wedding could still shock her at some point down the line."

Narcissa held her son's gaze for a while longer before hugging him tightly.

"I love you son."


End file.
